Duke Aiona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Duke Aiona
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Aiona in 2009
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| 11th Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii | |
| In office December 4, 2002 – December 6, 2010 |
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| Governor | Linda Lingle |
| Preceded by | Mazie Hirono |
| Succeeded by | Brian Schatz |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Aiona
June 8, 1955 Pearl City, Territory of Hawaii |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Vivian Welsh |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | University of the Pacific (BA) University of Hawaii, Manoa (JD) |
| Signature |  |
James R. "Duke" Aiona Jr. (born June 8, 1955) is an American politician and former judge. He served as the eleventh Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii from 2002 to 2010. He worked alongside Governor Linda Lingle. Before this, he was a lawyer and a judge in Hawaii.
Duke Aiona is a member of the Republican Party. After being Lieutenant Governor, he ran for Governor of Hawaii three times. He ran in 2010, 2014, and 2022, but he did not win any of those elections. He is the most recent Republican to have served as Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii.
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Early Life and Education
James Aiona was born in Pearl City, Hawaiʻi. His family background is a mix of Hawaiian and Portuguese on his father's side. On his mother's side, he is Chinese. His mother was an elementary school teacher. His father worked as a life insurance agent.
Aiona went to Saint Louis School, a Catholic school in Honolulu. After high school, he played basketball at the University of the Pacific in California. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science in 1977. Later, he returned to Hawaiʻi. He studied law at the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He graduated in 1981.
Career in Law and Public Service
Duke Aiona started his legal career as a deputy prosecutor for the City and County of Honolulu. This means he worked to bring criminals to justice. In 1990, he became a judge in the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary. He first served as a Family Court judge. In 1996, he became the first administrative judge while serving as a Circuit Court judge. This role meant he helped manage the court system.
In 2002, Aiona was elected Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii. He served two terms with Governor Linda Lingle. As Lieutenant Governor, he was second in command to the Governor. He helped lead the state government.
Running for Governor
After his time as Lieutenant Governor, Aiona decided to run for Governor of Hawaii. He ran in the 2010 election but lost to Neil Abercrombie. He tried again in 2014, but he was defeated by David Ige. In 2022, Aiona ran for Governor for a third time. He won the Republican nomination but lost the general election to Josh Green.
Family Life
Duke Aiona met his wife, Vivian Welsh, in 1977 while he was in law school. They got married in 1981. They have four children: two sons named Kulia and Makana, and two daughters named Ohulani and Kaimilani.
See also
