Gary Hooser
Encyclopedia
Gary Hooser is the former State Senate Majority Leader
representing Kauaʻi
and Niʻihau
since 2002. He formerly served on the Kauai County Council for 4 years before becoming a Senator.
In the Summer of 2010, Hooser resigned his Senate seat to run for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
. He was defeated on September 18, 2010 in the democratic primary by Brian Schatz.
in 1972, and then the Hawaiʻi Entrepreneur Training and Development Institute. He went on to graduate from Kauai Community College
and the University of Hawaii--West Oahu with a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration.
Gary Hooser has lived through two hurricanes, survived the challenges of running a small business, and has been an active politician in the state of Hawaii
.
. As the majority leader
and member of the Committee on Ways and Means, he held one of the top leadership positions in the Hawaiʻi State Legislature. Hooser was a member of the Energy and Environment Committee and also previously Co-Chaired the Senate Affordable Housing Task Force. Hooser, as the incumbent
in 2004, defeated former Kauaʻi Mayor Maryanne Kusaka
to retain his seat
.
Various statewide agencies and unions have endorsed Hooser's candidacy for Lieutenant Governor, including:
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
representing Kauaʻi
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
and Niʻihau
Niihau
Niihau or Niihau is the seventh largest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii, having an area of . Niihau lies southwest of Kauai across the Kaulakahi Channel. Several intermittent playa lakes provide wetland habitats for the Hawaiian Coot, the Black-winged Stilt, and the...
since 2002. He formerly served on the Kauai County Council for 4 years before becoming a Senator.
In the Summer of 2010, Hooser resigned his Senate seat to run for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
The Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, concurrently the Secretary of State of Hawaii, is the assistant chief executive of that U.S. state and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 2 though 6. He or she is elected by popular suffrage of...
. He was defeated on September 18, 2010 in the democratic primary by Brian Schatz.
Background
Gary Hooser and his wife, Claudette, have two children: Dylan and Kelli-Rose. He has lived on Kaua'i for more than 30 years. Hooser graduated from Radford High SchoolAdmiral Arthur W. Radford High School
Admiral Arthur W. Radford High School, known as Radford High School, is a public high school in the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, adjacent to the Halawa CDP.-Admiral Arthur W. Radford :...
in 1972, and then the Hawaiʻi Entrepreneur Training and Development Institute. He went on to graduate from Kauai Community College
Kauai Community College
Kauai Community College is a public, co-educational commuter college in Līhue, Hawaii on the island of Kauai. It is one of ten branches of the University of Hawaii system anchored by the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and...
and the University of Hawaii--West Oahu with a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration.
Gary Hooser has lived through two hurricanes, survived the challenges of running a small business, and has been an active politician in the state of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Political career
Gary Hooser has been active in the community for many years serving in a variety of capacities for numerous community organizations including renewable energy, shoreline access, affordable housing, and agriculture. He previously also served two terms on the Kauaʻi County Council, before becoming state Senator in 2002. Serving in the State Senate, Gary Hooser represented the 7th Senatorial District, which includes the islands of Kauaʻi and NiʻihauNiihau
Niihau or Niihau is the seventh largest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii, having an area of . Niihau lies southwest of Kauai across the Kaulakahi Channel. Several intermittent playa lakes provide wetland habitats for the Hawaiian Coot, the Black-winged Stilt, and the...
. As the majority leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
and member of the Committee on Ways and Means, he held one of the top leadership positions in the Hawaiʻi State Legislature. Hooser was a member of the Energy and Environment Committee and also previously Co-Chaired the Senate Affordable Housing Task Force. Hooser, as the incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
in 2004, defeated former Kauaʻi Mayor Maryanne Kusaka
Maryanne Kusaka
Maryanne Kusaka, American politician and former Mayor of the County of Kaua'i. She was mayor of Kauai from 1994 to 2002. A career Republican, Kusaka sought a seat in the Hawai'i State Senate in 2004 but lost to the Democratic Party's Gary Hooser by 16,274 votes to 8,270.Kusaka was born in Kamuela...
to retain his seat
Accomplishments
One of Hooser's most notable accomplishments introducing and passing into law the nation's first solar hot water heating system requirement for new homes. Hooser was the only elected official, of 18 asked, who said, “yes” to supporting Defend Oahu Coalition’s “Keep the Country, Country” campaign. Hooser was the first legislator to speak out against the furloughs and proposed its solution to utilize Hurricane Funds, which was ultimately used by Governor Lingle in May 2010. Hooser was also the leading advocate in the Hawaiʻi State Senate for the Civil Unions Bill- HB4442010 Campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
In 2009, he announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor of HawaiʻiLieutenant Governor of Hawaii
The Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, concurrently the Secretary of State of Hawaii, is the assistant chief executive of that U.S. state and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 2 though 6. He or she is elected by popular suffrage of...
.
Various statewide agencies and unions have endorsed Hooser's candidacy for Lieutenant Governor, including:
- Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi
- Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association
- Local 5 Unite Here!
- Hawaiʻi Nurses Association
- Hawaiʻi Chiropractic Association
- Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi GLBT Caucus
- Progressive Democrats of Hawaiʻi
- Americans for Democratic Action
- Parx News Network
- Additionally, environmental leaders Jeff Mikulina (Blue Planet Foundation Director), Tim Vandeveer (Defend Oahu Coalition), Denise Antolini (Professor of Environmental Law at University of Hawaii at Manoa), Marjorie Ziegler (Executive Director of Conservation Council for Hawaii), David Kimo Frankel (Environmental Attorney), and Andrea Dean (Hawaii Sustainability Consultant. Former HSTA President June Motokawa has also publicly endorsed Hooser.
Business career
Awards- Small Business Media Advocate of the Year for Kauaʻi - U.S. Small Business Administration
- Recognized for his business achievements by the Kauaʻi Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Kapaʻa
External links
- Gary L. Hooser Hawaii State Legislature
- Campaign website
- Official Blog
- The Hawaii Independent