James Kimo Kealoha (April 29, 1908 – August 24, 1983) was an American politician who served as the
first lieutenant governor of Hawaii in the
administration
Administration may refer to:
Management of organizations
* Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal
** Administrative assistant, Administrative Assistant, traditionally known as a Secretary, or also known as an admini ...
of
Governor of Hawaii
, insignia = Logo of the Office of the Governor of Hawaii.png
, insigniasize = 110px
, insigniacaption = Gubernatorial logo
, flag = Flag of the Governor of Hawaii.svg
, flagborder = yes
, flagcaption = Standard of the Governor
, image ...
William F. Quinn
William Francis Quinn (July 13, 1919 – August 28, 2006) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 12th and last governor of the Territory of Hawaii from 1957 to 1959 and the first governor of the State of Hawaii from 1959 to 1 ...
. Prior to his election as Lieutenant Governor, Kealoha served a number of years as a legislator on Hawaii island (the "Big Island"), distinguishing himself as a respected leader.
Early years
James Kealoha was born on April 29, 1908, in
Pahoa
Pāhoa ( haw, Pāhoa) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the District of Puna in Hawai‘i County, Hawai‘i, United States. The population was 924 at the 2020 census. The population dropped by 1.8% from 945 in the 2010 census.
Geograph ...
on Hawaii island to Lee Chau and Alice Makanui Kealoha. His father was a
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding are ...
immigrant who had come to Hawaii as a plantation laborer. While growing up James was raised by his grandparents, whose name he assumed. Later he decided to add Kimo as his middle name. In the
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
community in Hawaii, he was commonly known as Lee Yat Wo.
He graduated from
Hilo High School
Hilo High School is a Public school (government funded), public, Coeducation, co-educational high school of the Hawaii State Department of Education, and serves grades nine through twelve. Established in 1906, its first class graduated in 1909. ...
in 1926 and started working as a clerk for Kwong See Wo, a grocery store in
Hilo
Hilo () is a census-designated place (CDP) and the largest settlement in Hawaii County, Hawaii, Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States, which encompasses the Hawaii (island), Island of Hawaii. The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 United ...
. In 1929 he married Muilan Young, and together they had two daughters, Leihulu Emma and Leiohu Lillie. In the next year he opened his own grocery, which he operated until 1948.
Legislative career
In 1934, Kealoha was elected to the Territorial House of Representatives, serving as speaker
pro tem
''Pro tempore'' (), abbreviated ''pro tem'' or ''p.t.'', is a Latin phrase which best translates to "for the time being" in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a ''locum tenens'' (placeholder) in the absence of ...
. He was elected for a second term two years later. In 1938, he successfully ran as a
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
for a seat in the Territorial Senate, where he served as president pro tem. That same year, he switched to the
Republican Party, expressing his unhappiness with the in-fighting amongst island Democrats. People often referred to Kealoha as the "Wonder Boy of Hawaiian politics" because he consistently won elections by sizable margins.
In 1940 Kealoha was elected to the
Hawaii County
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
Board of Supervisors, where he won re-election for three successive terms. In 1946, he suffered his first-ever defeat in his political career, losing in a bid for Hawaii County Chairman. In 1948, he ran again, winning the first of six consecutive terms as Hawaii County Chairman.
Lieutenant governor
Kealoha served for years as Hawaii County Chairman, because of his popularity and leadership, was selected in 1959 by the Republican Party as its candidate for lieutenant governor in the state of Hawaii's first gubernatorial election, running alongside
William F. Quinn
William Francis Quinn (July 13, 1919 – August 28, 2006) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 12th and last governor of the Territory of Hawaii from 1957 to 1959 and the first governor of the State of Hawaii from 1959 to 1 ...
, the party's candidate for governor. The pairing worked well, as Quinn and Kealoha defeated their Democratic opponents
John A. Burns
John Anthony Burns (March 30, 1909 – April 5, 1975) was an American politician. Burns was born in Montana and became a resident of Hawaii in 1913. He served as the second governor of Hawaii from 1962 to 1974.
Early life
John Burns was ...
and Mitsuyuki Kido. Kealoha was the first
Chinese American
Chinese Americans are Americans of Han Chinese ancestry. Chinese Americans constitute a subgroup of East Asian Americans which also constitute a subgroup of Asian Americans. Many Chinese Americans along with their ancestors trace lineage from ...
and
Native Hawaiian
Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, First Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians) ( haw, kānaka, , , and ), are the indigenous ethnic group of Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaii ...
to be elected as a lieutenant governor in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
Kealoha's term as lieutenant governor was described as "unpleasant" for him (Kim). Governor Quinn was not confident in allowing a Native Hawaiian, even a friend like Kealoha, to make important decisions on his behalf. Kealoha found himself relegated to presiding at ceremonial functions. He also had disagreements with Governor Quinn about the issue of
political patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...
(Kim).
Kealoha gained national attention during the close
1960 United States presidential election
The 1960 United States presidential election was the 44th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 8, 1960. In a closely contested election, Democratic United States Senator John F. Kennedy defeated the incumbent V ...
, in which
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
defeated
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
both nationally and
in Hawaii. Errors in the official tabulation resulted in Nixon being declared the winner of Hawaii's electoral votes by 141 votes, despite inconsistencies in the tabulation sheets. After ordering two audits of the tabulation sheets (but being unable to inspect the actual ballots cast), Kealoha certified the vote total in favor of his fellow
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
Nixon, resulting in the call of national
Democrats for a
recount
An election recount is a repeat tabulation of votes cast in an election that is used to determine the correctness of an initial count. Recounts will often take place if the initial vote tally during an election is extremely close. Election reco ...
. The recount extended past the Constitutionally-required December 19 date for casting electoral votes; as a result, both "unofficial" Democratic and "official" Republican electoral slates met at the
Iolani Palace Iolani is a masculine Hawaiian name meaning "royal ''hawk''." It comes from the Hawaiian words ''ʻio'', meaning "Hawaiian hawk," and ''lani'', meaning "royal."
It may refer to:
*ʻIolani School, a private school located in Hawaii
*ʻIolani Palac ...
and submitted competing
certificates of ascertainment for Hawaii's three electoral votes. The result was finally resolved on the floor of the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
during the
electoral college certification process.
1962 election for Governor
After growing tensions between Kealoha and Quinn, especially on role of the Lieutenant Governor. Kealoha challenged Quinn in the Republican gubernatorial primary in 1962, characterizing himself as a "native son" and a "local boy" in what was described as "a bitter contest" (Kim). Quinn prevailed, garnering 44,095 votes to 33,277 for Kealoha (Boylan). Quinn, in a quest for reconciliation, appointed Kealoha as the executive officer for the Hawaii exhibit at the
New York World's Fair.
Later in the general election of that year, Quinn was soundly defeated by his Democratic opponent,
John A. Burns
John Anthony Burns (March 30, 1909 – April 5, 1975) was an American politician. Burns was born in Montana and became a resident of Hawaii in 1913. He served as the second governor of Hawaii from 1962 to 1974.
Early life
John Burns was ...
. Some analysts have said that the decision by Kealoha to challenge Governor Quinn in the primary cost the Republicans the election (Kim). For many voters the primary was another triumph of the ''Haole'' over the Hawaiian, a recurring theme with the Republican Party, causing voters to defect to the Democrats or
refused to vote.
Comeback attempts
After losing in 1962, Kealoha still had political aspirations but failed to win an election again. In 1966 he ran for a seat in the
U.S. House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
against incumbent Democrat
Spark Matsunaga
Spark Masayuki Matsunaga ( ja, 松永 正幸, October 8, 1916April 15, 1990) was an American politician and attorney who served as United States Senator for Hawaii from 1977 until his death in 1990. Matsunaga also represented Hawaii in the U.S. ...
and was defeated. Of note in that campaign was Kealoha's vocal opposition to the
war in Vietnam
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
which shocked fellow Republicans and enthused Democrats in their election efforts (Harada). In 1968 he unsuccessfully ran for
Mayor of Hawaii County
The Mayor of Hawaii is the chief executive officer of the County of Hawaii in the state of Hawaii. The mayor has municipal jurisdiction over the Big Island of Hawaii. The current mayor is Mitch Roth.bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...
in connection with his involvement in a restaurant and show concession at the
Montreal Expo in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
(Cavaliero and Sherman). In 1977, he and his wife were victimized in a hotel and condominium
scam
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibility, and greed. Researchers have def ...
that also resulted in bankruptcy. In his later years Kealoha grew
papayas
The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species ''Carica papaya'', one of the 21 accepted species in the genus ''Carica'' of the family Caricaceae. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and C ...
in Hawaii and owned a farm in
Salem, Oregon
Salem ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County, Oregon, Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river ...
. He died on August 24, 1983, in
Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
with
interment
Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
at Homelani Cemetery in Hilo.
James Kealoha Park
In 1963, James Kealoha Beach Park on
Hawaii Island
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii ) is the largest island in the United States, located in the state of Hawaii. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of , it has 63% of t ...
was named in his honor. Also known to residents as "4-Miles," the park is located four miles from the Hilo Post Office, which has been historically considered the starting point for all mileage markers originating from Hilo (Clark 25). James Kealoha Beach Park is featured in a song on the 1979 album ''Na Pana Kaulana o Keaukaha'' by
Edith Kanakaʻole.
See also
*
References
Resources
* Black, Forrest. "Kealoha Campaigns for Governor as 'Native Son.'" ''
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
The ''Honolulu Star-Bulletin'' was a daily newspaper based in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the second largest daily newspaper in the state of Hawaii (after the ''Honolulu Advertiser''). ...
'', August 31, 1962.
* Borg, Jim. "James Kealoha Dead at 75." ''
Honolulu Advertiser
''The Honolulu Advertiser'' was a daily newspaper published in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the largest daily newspaper in the American state of Hawaii. It published daily with special Sunday and Int ...
'', July 25, 1983.
* Boylan, Dan and T. Michael Holmes. ''
John A. Burns
John Anthony Burns (March 30, 1909 – April 5, 1975) was an American politician. Burns was born in Montana and became a resident of Hawaii in 1913. He served as the second governor of Hawaii from 1962 to 1974.
Early life
John Burns was ...
: The Man and His Times''.
University of Hawaii Press
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
, 2000.
* Casey, Brian. "Mr. Kealoha's 'Sunny Jim.'" ''
Honolulu Advertiser
''The Honolulu Advertiser'' was a daily newspaper published in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the largest daily newspaper in the American state of Hawaii. It published daily with special Sunday and Int ...
'', December 13, 1959.
* Cavaliero, Eric, and Eddie Sherman. "Kealoha Files Bankruptcy for Exhibition." ''
Honolulu Advertiser
''The Honolulu Advertiser'' was a daily newspaper published in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the largest daily newspaper in the American state of Hawaii. It published daily with special Sunday and Int ...
'', September 11, 1967.
* Clark, John R.K. ''Beaches of the Big Island''.
University of Hawaii Press
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
, 1985.
* Goodfader, Al. "Quinn for Governor; Suggests Kealoha for 'No. 2' Post." ''
Honolulu Advertiser
''The Honolulu Advertiser'' was a daily newspaper published in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the largest daily newspaper in the American state of Hawaii. It published daily with special Sunday and Int ...
'', April 5, 1959.
* Harada, Wayne. "Kealoha Stand Surprises Spark."
Honolulu Advertiser
''The Honolulu Advertiser'' was a daily newspaper published in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the largest daily newspaper in the American state of Hawaii. It published daily with special Sunday and Int ...
, October 8, 1966.
* Kim, Hyung-Chan S.(Editor). ''Distinguished Asian Americans : A Biographical Dictionary''.
Westport, CT
Westport is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, along the Long Island Sound within Connecticut's Gold Coast. It is northeast of New York City. The town had a population of 27,141 according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
History
...
, USA: Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated, 1999. p 173
* McManus, Larry. "Kealoha's Speech Cheers Democrats." ''
Honolulu Advertiser
''The Honolulu Advertiser'' was a daily newspaper published in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the largest daily newspaper in the American state of Hawaii. It published daily with special Sunday and Int ...
'', October 8, 1966.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kealoha, James
1908 births
1983 deaths
Native Hawaiian politicians
Members of the Hawaii Territorial Legislature
Lieutenant Governors of Hawaii
Hawaii Republicans
Hawaii Democrats
20th-century American politicians
Hawaii people of Chinese descent
Hawaii politicians of Chinese descent
Burials at Homelani Memorial Park and Cemetery
Asian conservatism in the United States