Lorraine Inouye | |
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Member of the Hawaii Senate from the 4th district |
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Assumed office December 1, 2014 |
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Preceded by | Malama Solomon |
Member of the Hawaii Senate from the 1st district |
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In office December 1998 – December 2008 |
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Preceded by | Malama Solomon |
Succeeded by | Dwight Takamine |
Mayor of Hawaii County | |
In office 1990 – December 7, 1992 |
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Preceded by | Larry Tanimoto (interim) |
Succeeded by | Stephen K. Yamashiro |
Personal details | |
Born |
Hilo, Hawaii, U.S. |
June 22, 1940
Spouse(s) | Vernon Inouye |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | Hilo High School |
Lorraine Rodero Inouye (born June 22, 1940) is an American politician from the state of Hawaii. A member of the Democratic Party, she serves in the Hawaii State Senate, representing District 4. She is of no relation to prominent U.S. senator from Hawaii Daniel Inouye.
Inouye was elected to the Hawaii County Council in 1984. In 1990, Inouye ran in a special election to serve the remainder of the term of Bernard Akana, who died in office, as Mayor of Hawaii County. She defeated Stephen K. Yamashiro by 76 votes. She ran for election as Mayor in 1992, but lost to Yamashiro.
Inouye ran for the District 1 seat in the Hawaii Senate in 1998, challenging incumbent Democrat Malama Solomon. Inouye defeated Solomon in the primary, and won the general election. She served through 2008. That year, she received a primary challenge from Dwight Takamine, and chose instead to run for Mayor of Hawaii County. Though she initially led her opponents in the opinion polls, she finished third in the Democratic primary, behind eventual winner Billy Kenoi and Angel Pilago.
In 2012, Inouye ran for District 4 in the State Senate. She was defeated in the Democratic primary election by Solomon, the incumbent from District 1. In March 2014, Inouye announced she wound challenge Solomon in the upcoming primary election to represent District 4. She defeated Solomon in the primary, and won the general election.
Inouye graduated from Hilo High School. Prior to running for political office, Inouye worked as a hotelier. Inouye is married to Vernon Inouye, who grows and exports flowers. She serves as president of the family-owned anthurium farm.