Ronald Dan Kouchi is a Democratic politician from Hawaii, representing the 8th district in the state Senate. He has served as the 14th President of the Hawaiʻi Senate since 2015.

Ron Kouchi
14th President of the Hawaii Senate
Assumed office
May 5, 2015
Vice PresidentMichelle Kidani (since 2016)
Will Espero (2014-2016)
Preceded byDonna Mercado Kim
Vice President of the Hawaii State Senate
In office
December 28, 2012 – November 5, 2014
Preceded byDonna Mercado Kim
Succeeded byWill Espero
Member of the Hawaii Senate
from the 8th district
Assumed office
September 7, 2010
Appointed byLinda Lingle
Preceded byGary Hooser
Personal details
Born1957 or 1958 (age 66–67)[1]
Los Angeles, California, United States
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJoy Tanimoto
Children2
EducationDrake University (BA)
WebsiteOfficial website

Personal life

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Ron Kouchi is married to Joy Naomi Tanimoto. He has two sons, Dan and Egan.[2]

Career

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Kouchi received his high school diploma from Waimea High School and attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.[3] He served as a lobbyist for the County of Kaua‘i at the Hawai‘i State Legislature and is a former member of the Legislative Committee of the Kaua'i Chamber of Commerce. He served for 22 years (11 terms) as a Kaua‘i County Councilman, including 12 years as Council Chair.[4][5] He is a former director of the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (2003-2006) and the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau. He served on the boards of the Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital and YMCA, and chaired the Wilcox Health Foundation’s capital campaign. He worked as a legislative analyst for the former Rep. Dennis Yamada in 1982, before getting appointed to the Senate (District 7) for the first time in 2010.[citation needed] Kouchi defeated John Sydney Yamane in the September 18 primary and Republican candidate David Hamman and Nonpartisan candidate Alfred Darling in the Hawaii State Senate elections 2010.[6] He was elected to the Senate (District 8) in 2012. He has served as the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Agriculture, the Vice Chair of the Committee on Tourism, and the Majority Caucus Leader.[7] He has sponsored 244 bills.[8]

Electoral History

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Hawaii State Senate, district 7, 2010 general election results
Party Candidate Votes Vote %
Democratic Ronald Kouchi 14,438 62.7
Republican David Hamman 6,245 27.1
Total 20,685 100
Hawaii State Senate, District 8, 2012 General election results
Party Candidate Votes Vote %
Democratic Ronald Kouchi 17,887 77.7
Republican William Georgi 5,138 22.3
Total 23,025 100

References

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  1. ^ "District 08 – Ronald Dan Kouchi (D)". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. 31 July 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Ron Kouchi". Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  3. ^ "CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHY". Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  4. ^ "Smart business Hawaii". Sam Slom. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  5. ^ Lenny Klompus (8 September 2010). "Figueira and Kouchi Appointed to Fill Hawaii Senate Vacant Seats". Hawaii Reporter. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  6. ^ Hawaii State Office of Elections - 2010 general election certified results
  7. ^ Legislative Members
  8. ^ Ronald D. Kouchi - Hawaii State Legislature - Open States
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Political offices
Preceded by President of the Hawaii Senate
2015–present
Incumbent