Quentin Kawananakoa
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Quentin Kawananakoa, formally Quentin Kūhiō Kawananakoa (born September 28, 1961), is the current head of the House of Kawananakoa and could claim the title of prince and heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawai`i. His claim to the throne has been affirmed by historians and elders of the native Hawaiian community, as a relative of the House of Kamehameha and House of Kalakaua. He is also an avid politician of the State of Hawai`i having been elected to and chosen by his peers as minority leader in the Hawai`i State Legislature. Kawananakoa is also a respected organizer of the Republican Party of Hawai`i and oversees the vast landholdings of the James Campbell Estate, of which he is an heir.
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[edit] Early years
Kawananakoa was born in 1961 in San Francisco, California, the third son of Edward A. Kawananakoa and his second wife Carolyn Willison Kawananakoa. He was raised in Honolulu, Hawai`i where he attended Punahou School. Upon graduating from high school, Kawananakoa went on to study at the University of Southern California. He returned to O`ahu and graduated from the William S. Richardson School of Law. Upon obtaining his law degree, he served in private practice at the law firm Case, Bigelow & Lombardi until 2000.
In 1989, Kawananakoa was charged with third degree possession of cocaine and pleaded guilty.
[edit] Political life
In 1994, Kawananakoa followed in his ancestors' footsteps and got involved in elected politics. Unlike his great uncle Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana`ole, Kawananakoa joined the Republican Party of Hawai`i for its pro-business stances. He ran and won an election to become a member of the Hawai`i State House of Representatives, an office he served through 1998. During his legislative tenure, he rose through the ranks of party leadership becoming minority floor leader. During an attempt to mount a challenge for the Congressional seat held by Neil Abercrombie, Kawananakoa abruptly retired from active political life after being hospitalized.
[edit] 2006 Congressional campaign
In April 2006, after eight years out of the public eye, Kawananakoa announced his intention to run for the Congressional seat currently held by Ed Case, who is not seeking re-election to his seat in order to run for U.S. Senate. He officially declared his candidacy on April 23, 2006. [1] In the primary elections held on September 24, 2006, Crown Prince Quentin Kawananakoa was narrowly defeated by Hawaiian State Senator Robert Hogue. The final vote total was Hogue: 8,393 votes (45.6%) vs. Prince Kawananakoa: 8,194 votes (44.5%). Senator Hogue will go on to challenge Democratic Party candidate Mazie Hirono, former Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, in the general election in November, 2006.
[edit] Family
In September 1995, Kawananakoa married Barbados native Elizabeth Broun. They had their first child in June 1996, Kincaid Kawananakoa. In December 1999, the couple had another child, Riley Kawananakoa. Both were recognized with the title of prince.
