Neil Abercrombie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Neil Abercrombie
|
|
|---|---|
Abercrombie in 2011.
|
|
| 7th Governor of Hawaii | |
| In office December 6, 2010 – December 1, 2014 |
|
| Lieutenant | Brian Schatz Shan Tsutsui |
| Preceded by | Linda Lingle |
| Succeeded by | David Ige |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's 1st district |
|
| In office January 3, 1991 – February 28, 2010 |
|
| Preceded by | Pat Saiki |
| Succeeded by | Charles Djou |
| In office September 20, 1986 – January 3, 1987 |
|
| Preceded by | Cecil Heftel |
| Succeeded by | Pat Saiki |
| Member of the Honolulu City Council | |
| In office 1988–1990 |
|
| Member of the Hawaii Senate | |
| In office 1980–1986 |
|
| Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives |
|
| In office 1975–1979 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 26, 1938 Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Nancie Caraway
(m. 1981) |
| Education | Union College (AB) University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (MA, PhD) |
| Signature |  |
Neil Abercrombie (born June 26, 1938) is an American politician who served as the seventh governor of Hawaii from 2010 to 2014. As a member of the Democratic Party, he has had a long career in politics, serving in both the Hawaii state government and the United States Congress.
Born in Buffalo, New York, Abercrombie moved to Hawaii for college. He started his political journey in 1975 in the Hawaii House of Representatives. He later served in the Hawaii State Senate and on the Honolulu City Council.
Abercrombie was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and served for nearly 20 years, representing the people of urban Honolulu. In 2010, he was elected governor of Hawaii. In 2014, he was defeated in the Democratic primary election by David Ige, who then became the next governor.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Neil Abercrombie was born in Buffalo, New York, on June 26, 1938. After finishing high school, he went to Union College in New York, where he studied sociology.
In 1959, Abercrombie moved to Honolulu to attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. There, he earned a master's degree in sociology and a doctorate in American Studies. While at the university, he became friends with Ann Dunham and Barack Obama Sr., the parents of future U.S. President Barack Obama.
To pay for his studies, Abercrombie worked many different jobs. He was a waiter, a clerk at the YMCA, a school custodian, a teacher, and a college lecturer.
Political Career
Abercrombie's first big step into politics was in 1975 when he was elected to the Hawaii State House of Representatives. He served there until 1979. A yellow Checker Taxi with his name and face on it became a famous symbol of his early campaigns because he didn't have much money for ads.
From 1980 to 1986, he was a member of the Hawaii State Senate. In 1986, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in a special election to fill a seat that had become empty. After serving a short term, he was elected to the Honolulu City Council, where he worked from 1988 to 1990.
Serving in the U.S. Congress
In 1990, Abercrombie was elected to the U.S. Congress again, and this time he was reelected ten times. He represented Hawaii's 1st congressional district, which includes the city of Honolulu.
During his time in Congress, Abercrombie was known for his liberal views. He was one of 133 members of the House who voted against authorizing the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also supported laws to protect civil liberties, which are the basic rights and freedoms of citizens.
Abercrombie was a strong supporter of equal rights. In 1996, he was one of only 67 representatives who voted against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a law that defined marriage as between one man and one woman. He also supported a national health insurance program.
He resigned from Congress on February 28, 2010, so he could focus on his campaign to become the governor of Hawaii.
Becoming Governor of Hawaii
.jpg)
On March 9, 2009, Abercrombie announced he was running for governor of Hawaii. During his campaign, he released a plan called "A New Day in Hawai'i." This plan was created after talking with thousands of people across the islands about their hopes for the state's future.
In the Democratic primary election, he defeated former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann. On November 2, 2010, Abercrombie won the general election against Republican Duke Aiona, becoming Hawaii's seventh governor.
Time as Governor
Abercrombie was sworn into office on December 6, 2010. He was 72 years old at the time.
One of his first actions as governor was to try and end the public questions about President Obama's birthplace. He asked the state's attorney general for help, but privacy laws prevented the release of the birth certificate without President Obama's permission.
In 2011, Abercrombie signed a law that allowed civil unions for same-sex couples. Two years later, in 2013, he signed another law that made same-sex marriage legal in Hawaii.
When U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye passed away, Abercrombie appointed Brian Schatz to take his place in the Senate. This decision was controversial because Senator Inouye had wished for another person, Colleen Hanabusa, to be chosen.
In 2014, Abercrombie ran for reelection. However, he lost the Democratic primary to state senator David Ige. This made him the first governor in Hawaii's history to be defeated in a primary election. His loss was linked to his confrontational style, tax proposals, and his choice of Schatz for the Senate.
Personal Life
In 1981, Abercrombie married Nancie Caraway, a writer and professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He lives in the Mānoa Valley area of Honolulu.
Abercrombie is also a powerlifter. He has a personal goal to bench-press 200 pounds more than his age on every birthday. In 2006, the Caledonian Society of Hawai'i named him "Scot of the Year."
See also
In Spanish: Neil Abercrombie para niños
