| Togiola Tulafono | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office April 7, 2003 |
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| Lieutenant | Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia |
| Preceded by | Tauese Sunia |
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Acting Governor of American Samoa
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| In office March 26, 2003 – April 7, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Tauese Sunia |
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| In office January 3, 1997 – March 26, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | ? |
| Succeeded by | Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia |
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| Born | February 28, 1947 Aunuu Island, American Samoa |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Ann Tulafono |
| Children | Two daughters |
| Residence | Pago Pago, American Samoa |
| Alma mater | Chadron State College, Washburn University |
| Profession | Attorney, Judge |
| Religion | Congregationalist |
| 1 Tulifono was Acting Governor from March 26–April 7, 2003 | |
Togiola Talalelei A. Tulafono (born February 28, 1947) is the Governor of American Samoa. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He had previously served as Lieutenant Governor, taking this position on January 3, 1997.
Tulafono was Lieutenant Governor when, on March 26, 2003, Governor Tauese Pita Fiti Sunia died. He then became Acting Governor, and officially became Governor on April 7, 2003. He was reelected to a full 4-year term in the November 2004 gubernatorial elections.
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Biography
Early life
Togiola T.A. Tulafono was born on February 28, 1947, in Aunu'u Island, American Samoa.[1]
Tulafono was educated in Samoa, attending elementary school in Autu'u and Samoana High School.[1] He attended Chadron State College in the United States, where he earned bachelor's degrees in both political science and sociology from Chadron State College in 1970.[1] He further received a doctor of laws degree from the Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas, in 1975.[1]
He has served as a deacon of the Congregational Christian Church in Sa’ilele, American Samoa, for over 25 years.[1]
Career
After college, Tulafono worked as a legal assistant at American Samoa's Attorney General's Office and as an administrative assistant for the Secretary of Samoan Affairs.[1] He spent two years each working as a private practice attorney and as a vice president for South Pacific Airlines during the late 1970s.[2]
Tulafono was appointed as a district court judge in 1978 and then to the American Samoa Senate in 1980. After serving one term in the upper house for Saole County,[1] he reentered law practice, but then ran again successfully for a Senate seat in 1989.[2] However, he was later elected to the American Samoa Senate for Sua County for eight years.[1] He also chaired the board of directors for the American Samoa Power Authority and was the first chairman of the Board of Higher Education.[1]
Tulafono further chaired the South Pacific Mini Games committee in 1997 when American Samoa hosted the games.[1] He later chaired the American Samoa Centennial Committee in 2000, which was formed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of American Samoa becoming a territorial possession of the United States.[1]
He presently serves as vice chairman of the territorial church general assembly of American Samoa as of 2008.[1]
Governor of American Samoa
Tulafono was sworn in as the Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa under Governor Tauese Sunia on January 3, 1997.[1] He remained lieutenant governor until Sunia's sudden death from a heart attack on March 26, 2003. Tulafono became acting governor until he was formally swown into office as Governor of American Samoa on April 7, 2003.[1]
In the first round of elections on November 2, 2004, Tulafono received 48.4% of the vote. In the second round on November 16, Tulafono defeated Afoa Moega Lutu, who had run against him for the position of Lieutenant Governor in 2000, by a vote of 56%-44%. As Governor, Tulafano is a member of the National Governors Association and the Democratic Governors Association.
Tulafono endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton for President of the United States during the 2008 presidential primaries and the American Samoa Democratic caucuses, 2008 and became the national co-chair of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for Hillary.[3]
The dispute with Hawaiian Airlines
In July 2006, Governor Tulafono issued a mandate to Hawaiian Airlines, giving the airline ninety days to cease service to Pago Pago International Airport in Pago Pago. The carrier, which offers the only service to American Samoa (beside commuter flights to Apia, in the country of Samoa), from its hub in Honolulu, was accused of predatory pricing practices and ethnic harassment by the governor.[4]
In August 2006, the FAA stated in an official letter to the governor that the territory must continue to allow Hawaiian Airlines to fly the Honolulu-Pago Pago route or risk losing U.S. financial assistance.[5]
2008 Gubernatorial election
Governor Togiola Tulafono and Lieutenant Governor Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia announced their joint reelection campaign on May 10, 2008, at the Tradewinds Hotel in Tafuna.[6] The 2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2008. Governor Tulafono and Lieutenant Governor Sunia received 41.1% of the vote, challengers Utu Abe Malae and Nua Mailo Saoluaga received 31.4%, and Afoa Leulumoega Lutu and Velega Savali received 26.8 percent. Because no candidate exceeded 50% of the vote, a runoff election was held between the top two candidates in mid-November, which Tulafono won.[7]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "American Samoa Governor Togiola T.A. Tulafono". National Governors Association. http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=472b224971c81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=d54c8aaa2ebbff00VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
- ^ a b government job contract federal state at asg-gov.net
- ^ "Hillary Clinton Gets Support Of Gov. Togiola". Pacific Magazine. 2008-01-08. http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2008/01/08/hillary-clinton-gets-support-of-gov-togiola. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
- ^ starbulletin.com | News | /2006/07/29/
- ^ starbulletin.com | Business | /2006/08/05/
- ^ Sagapolutele, Fili (2008-05-11). "Togiola, Ipulasi Announce Re-election Bid". Pacific Magazine. http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2008/05/11/togiola-ipulasi-announce-re-election-bid. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ "American Samoa governor candidates face election run-off". AFP. 2008-11-06. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ixrrpPVF4ydI6nCPxOlk-sGL7KqA. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
See also
List of current heads of government of dependencies
External links
- Official website
- Samoa Observer: Inauguation celebration described as “makua seki lava!”
- Samoa Observer:Togiola admin theme: “Light tomorrow with today”
- Samoa Observer: All of American Samoa invited to inauguration festivities
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Tauese P. Sunia |
Governor of American Samoa 2003 – present |
Incumbent |
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