Ron Kouchi

Ron Kouchi is a Democratic politician and current 14th President of the Hawaiʻi Senate (replacing Donna Mercado Kim who lost her position in an unusual mid-year leadership reorganization).[1]

Ron Kouchi
14th President of the Hawaii Senate
Assumed office
May 5, 2015
Vice PresidentMichelle Kidani
Will Espero
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
December 2010
Preceded byGary Hooser
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Joy Tanimoto
Children2
EducationDrake University (BA)
WebsiteOfficial website

Personal life

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

Career

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. 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]

Hawaii State Senate, District 7, 2010 General election results
Party Candidate Votes Vote %
Democratic Ronald Kouchi14,43862.7
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 Kouchi17,88777.7
Republican William Georgi 5,138 22.3
Total 23,025 100

References
  1. Dayton, Kevin (5 May 2015). "Kauai's Kouchi replaces Kim as Senate president". Honolulu Star Advertiser. Honolulu. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  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. "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
Political offices
Preceded by
Donna Mercado Kim		 President of the Hawaii Senate
2015–present		 Incumbent
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