Republican Party of American Samoa

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Republican Party of American Samoa
Vaega Faaupufai Fa'asao o Amerika Sāmoa
Chairman Utu Abe Malae
Vice ChairmanJohn Raynar
National Committeewoman Amata Coleman Radewagen
National CommitteemanSu'a Carl Schuster
TreasurerTina Ione
Founded1985 [1]
HeadquartersP.O. Box 3564, Pago Pago, AS 96799
Ideology Conservatism
National affiliation Republican Party
Colors  Red
U.S. House of Representatives
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Seats in the American Samoa Senate
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Seats in the American Samoa House of Representatives
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Election symbol
Republican Party Disc (alternate).svg

Republican Party of American Samoa is the affiliate of the U.S. Republican Party in American Samoa. It is based in the territorial capital of Pago Pago. [2]

Contents

The party was founded by Peter Tali Coleman. [3] Coleman was in 1956 the first Samoan to be appointed Governor. He became the first popularly elected Governor in 1977 and won re-election in 1980 and 1988. In 1988, he replaced Governor Fofō Iosefa Fiti Sunia, who had resigned after being convicted of defrauding the U.S. Government. [4]

Coleman's daughter, Aumua Amata Radewagen, is a current Congresswoman and also the party's National Committee Woman. [5] She received the unanimous endorsement from the party in 2018 in order to run for Congress. She is the first woman to represent American Samoa in the U.S. House of Representatives. [6] [7] She is also the first Republican representative in Congress from American Samoa. In 2018, she won reelection with 83.3 percent of the vote, [8] the highest number of votes in American Samoa history. [9] [10] She has represented the party in the Republican National Committee (RNC) since 1986.

In 2008, all delegates were won by John McCain. In the 2012 Republican primary, Mitt Romney won all nine delegates from American Samoa. [11] In the 2016 American Samoa Republican caucuses, Donald Trump won all nine delegates. [12] [13]

Current leadership

In March 2016, the party elected new leadership in the lead up to the 2016 American Samoa Republican Caucus. [14]

Party LeaderPosition
Utu Abe Malae Chairman
John RaynarVice-Chairman
Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen National Committeewoman
Su'a Carl SchusterNational Committeeman
Sailitafa SamoaSecretary
Tina IoneTreasurer

[14]

History

In the 2014 elections, Radewagen was elected as American Samoa's Delegate to Congress. [15] After having served fourteen consecutive terms in Washington, DC, Democrat Eni Faleomavaega lost his reelection bid to Republican Aumua Amata during the 2014 American Samoan general election. [16] She won reelection in 2016 with 75.4%, [17] and won reelection with 83.3% of the votes in a three-way race in 2018. [8]

In 2015, the party criticized the Democratic National Committee (DNC) as Tulsi Gabbard did not get the opportunity to participate in televised debates. Gabbard, a Democrat, represents Hawai’i in the U.S. Congress but was born in American Samoa. The Republican Party of American Samoa also planned to invite Gabbard to their next Republican primary debate. [18]

Notable people

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Tali Coleman</span> American Samoa politician (1919–1997)

Peter Tali Coleman was an American Samoan politician and lawyer. Coleman was the first and only person of Samoan descent to be appointed governor of American Samoa between 1956 and 1961 and later became the territory's first and third popularly elected governor from 1978 to 1985 and 1989 to 1993, serving a total of three elected terms. In between, he had served in different administrative positions for Pacific islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in American Samoa</span>

The American Samoan Legislature or Fono has two chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate, which has a directly elected head of government, the Governor of American Samoa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Samoa Fono</span> Territorial legislature of American Samoa

The American Samoa Fono is the territorial legislature of American Samoa. Like most states and territorial legislatures of the United States, it is a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives and a Senate. The legislature is located in Fagatogo along Pago Pago harbor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Samoa's at-large congressional district</span> At-large U.S. House district for American Samoa

American Samoa's at-large congressional district encompasses the entire U.S. territorial region of American Samoa. The territory does not have a voting member of Congress but does elect a delegate who can participate in debates and vote in committees of which they are a member. Amata Coleman Radewagen is the current delegate of the islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 American Samoan general election</span>

General elections were held in American Samoa on November 4, 2008, to elect a governor, members of the House of Representative, and a delegate to the United States House of Representatives, as well as a referendum on a legislative override of the governor's veto. The elections were held as part of the wider 2008 United States general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 United States House of Representatives election in American Samoa</span>

The 2010 United States House of Representatives election in American Samoa, for American Samoa's lone At-large congressional district, was held on November 2, 2010. The non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives is elected for two-year terms; whoever is elected will serve in the 112th Congress from January 3, 2011, until January 3, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 American Samoan general election</span>

General elections were held in American Samoa on November 2, 2010. The deadline to register as a candidate for the election was September 1, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amata Coleman Radewagen</span> American Samoan politician (born 1947)

Amata Catherine Coleman Radewagen, commonly called Aumua Amata, is an American Samoan politician who is the current delegate for the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa. Radewagen, a Republican, was elected on November 4, 2014, after defeating Democratic incumbent Eni Faleomavaega; she was the first-ever Republican delegate since the office had been created in 1970 and began her tenure on January 3, 2015. She also serves as the national committeewoman for the Republican Party of American Samoa. Amata is the first woman to represent American Samoa in the U.S. Congress.

The 2016 American Samoa Republican presidential caucuses took place on March 22 in the U.S. territory of American Samoa as one of the Republican Party's primaries ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States House of Representatives election in American Samoa</span>

An election was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, to elect the non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa's at-large congressional district. The election coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including the larger American Samoa general election, as well as the nationwide 2016 United States House of Representatives elections and the 2016 United States general elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 United States House of Representatives election in American Samoa</span>

An election was held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, to elect the non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa's at-large congressional district. The election coincided with the midterm elections for other federal and territorial offices, including the larger American Samoa general election, as well as the nationwide 2018 United States House of Representatives elections and the 2018 United States general elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States House of Representatives election in American Samoa</span>

An election was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, to elect the non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa's at-large congressional district. The election coincided with races for other federal and American Samoan territorial offices, including the larger American Samoa general election, as well as the nationwide 2020 United States House of Representatives elections and the 2020 United States general elections.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans have given fluctuating levels of support to conservative movements and political parties in the United States, particularly the Republican Party. Many Republican Party members with these origins have obtained posts as elected representatives and political appointments as office holders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 American Samoa presidential caucuses</span>

Although American Samoa did not participate in the 2020 presidential election because it is a U.S. territory and not a state, it still participated in the U.S. presidential primaries and caucuses. Former mayor Michael Bloomberg won the Democratic caucus, held on March 3. The Republican caucus, in the form of a territorial convention held on March 18, endorsed incumbent President Donald Trump.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 American Samoan general election</span>

General elections were held in American Samoa on 3 November 2020. Voters elected a governor and lieutenant governor, members of the House of Representatives and the American Samoan delegate to the United States Congress. Incumbent Governor of American Samoa Lolo Matalasi Moliga was not eligible for reelection due to term limits. In American Samoa, gubernatorial candidates run on a non-partisan basis and as a slate together with their lieutenant governor candidate.

An election was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, to elect the non-voting Delegate to the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa's at-large congressional district and 20 seat to the American Samoa House of Representatives. The election coincided with races for other federal and American Samoan territorial offices, including the larger American Samoa general election, as well as the nationwide 2022 United States House of Representatives elections and the 2022 United States general elections.

Nora Kawailiula Stewart Coleman was an American public figure who served as the First Lady of American Samoa for four tenures spanning five decades. Coleman first became first lady of American Samoa from 1956 to 1961 when her husband, Peter Tali Coleman, was appointed the civilian governor of the U.S. territory. She returned to the role of first lady in 1978 after Peter Tali Coleman became the first popularly elected Governor of American Samoa. Coleman later served as first lady once again from 1989 to 1993 during her husband's final term as governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 American Samoan general election</span>

General elections were held in American Samoa on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Voters elected a governor, lieutenant governor, faipule (members) of the House of Representatives, and the American Samoan delegate to the United States Congress. The gubernatorial election required a run-off on November 19 as no candidate received a majority of the vote in the first round. Pula Nikolao Pula was elected governor and Pulu Ae Ae Jr. as lieutenant governor. They defeated the incumbent governor and lieutenant governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga and Eleasalo Ale by a margin of nearly 20 percentage points in the runoff. Both are affiliated with the Republican Party.

Pulu Ae Ae Jr. is an American Samoan politician who is the lieutenant governor-elect of American Samoa. He was elected along with his running mate Pula Nikolao Pula in the 2024 American Samoan gubernatorial election. He previously served as mayor of Pago Pago and as a faipule (member) of the American Samoa House of Representatives.

References

  1. Pacific Publications (1988). Pacific Islands Monthly, Volume 59. Page 7.
  2. Kurian, George Thomas and Jeffrey D. Schultz (1999). Political Market Place USA. Greenwood Publishing Group. Page 18. ISBN   9781573562263.
  3. Pace, Eric (1997-05-01). "Peter Coleman, 77, Governor of American Samoa". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2016-05-08.
  4. "Republican is Elected Governor of Samoa” (Nov. 12, 1988). New York Times . Page 8.
  5. "American Samoa republicans endorse delegates". Radio New Zealand . 24 March 2016.
  6. "American Samoa's Aumua Amata endorsed for election". 3 September 2018.
  7. "Republican Party of American Samoa holds annual Coleman Eisenhower Dinner". 29 October 2018.
  8. 1 2 Lansford, Tom (2019). Political Handbook of the World 2018-2019. CQ Press. Page 1730. ISBN   9781544327112.
  9. "About | Amata".
  10. "Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen". University of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020.
  11. Malcolm, A. (2012, Mar 14). "While you were sleeping, Romney rebounds to win Hawaii and American Samoa". Investor's Business Daily .
  12. "Donald Trump picks up more unbound GOP delegates | CNN Politics". CNN . 9 May 2016.
  13. "Trump Losing Unbound Delegate Race to Cruz".
  14. 1 2 "Local Republican Party names new officers and endorses Amata". Samoa News. 2016-03-19. Retrieved 2016-05-08.
  15. "Biography". US Representative Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen. 2012-12-11. Retrieved 2016-05-08.
  16. "American Samoa delegate loses seat". 5 November 2014.
  17. "Aumua Amata wins big in American Samoa". Radio New Zealand . 10 November 2016.
  18. "American Samoa GOP blasts Dems for excluding Gabbard from debate". 18 October 2015.