Amata Coleman Radewagen

Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from American Samoa's At-large district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Preceded by Eni Faleomavaega
Personal details
Born Amata Catherine Coleman[1]
December 29, 1947
Pago Pago, American Samoa
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Fred Radewagen
Children Erika[1]
Mark[1]
Kirsten[1]
Parents Peter Tali Coleman
Residence Pago Pago[2]
Alma mater University of Guam (B.S.)[3]
Loyola Marymount University[2]
George Mason University[2]
Religion Roman Catholic[4]
Website Congressional website

Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (born December 29, 1947) is the current United States delegate from American Samoa. Radewagen was elected on November 4, 2014 and took office on January 3, 2015. She is the first woman elected to serve in Congress from American Samoa.[5]

Political career

Radewagen had been very active in politics prior to becoming a U.S. delegate, serving in a variety of positions.[6]

Radewagen served on the staff of U.S. Representative Phil Crane of Illinois from 1997 to 1999.[7] She served on the staff of U.S. Representative J.C. Watts, Jr. of Oklahoma from 1999 to 2003.[7] After that, she served on the staff of the House Republican Conference from 2003 to 2005.[7]

Radewagen was appointed in 2001 by President George W. Bush as a White House Commissioner for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), where she chaired the Community Security Committee.[6] Amata was the only Pacific Islander on the 15-member commission, which advised the President on AAPI issues.[6]

Radewagen has been a candidate in every congressional race since 1994.[8] She has sat on the Republican National Committee for the American Samoa Republican Party since 1986.[5][9] Radewagen has been the most senior member of the RNC since 2012.[6][10]

U.S. House of Representatives

2014 election

Radewagen ran for American Samoa's at-large congressional district for the 2014 elections. She defeated the Democratic incumbent Eni Faleomavaega, who had served since 1989, 42.0% to 30.8% with former governor Togiola Tulafono finishing third at 11.0% in a nine-way contest.[11][12]

Tenure

Radewagen assumed office on January 3, 2015. Upon taking office, she became the Republican Party's highest ranking Asian Pacific elected federal officeholder in the United States.[6]

Committee assignments

Other activity

Radewagen has been involved in helping build democratic institutions internationally.[6] As a trainer since 1992, she has participated in missions to Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, and Morocco for the International Republican Institute and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, among other activities.[6]

Personal life

Radewagen is a graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu.[13] She is one of the 13 children of Nora and Peter Tali Coleman, the first popularly elected Governor of American Samoa.[5][6] She is married to Fred Radewagen and together they have three children and two grandchildren.[6]

Radewagen holds the orator (talking chief) title of Aumua from the village of Pago Pago in American Samoa, where she is a registered voter.[6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Amata Catherine Coleman". Ancestry.com. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Candice S. Miller; Robert A. Brady (November 7, 2014). "New Member Pictorial Directory" (PDF). Government Printing Office. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  3. ↑ "National Committeewoman". gop.com. Republican National Committee. 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  4. ↑ "US Representative Aumua Radewagen (Republican Party)". Legislative Action Center. Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Fili Sagapolutele (November 9, 2014). "1st Woman Elected as American Samoa Delegate". Associated Press. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 "Biography". U.S. Representative Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "RADEWAGEN, Aumua Amata Coleman". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Amata Thanks American Samoa Voters". Radio New Zealand International. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "Aumua Amata's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  10. ↑ Gizzi, John (February 9, 2015). "American Samoa’s Radewagen Can Make a Difference in Committees". Marianas Variety. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  11. ↑ Cama, Timothy (November 5, 2014) - "American Samoa Delegate Loses Seat". The Hill. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  12. ↑ Official Results of the General Election 2014 American Samoa Election Office. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  13. ↑ "RADEWAGEN, Amata Coleman". Office of the Historian. United States House of Representatives. Retrieved January 29, 2015.

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Eni Faleomavaega		 Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives
from American Samoa's At-large congressional district
2015–present 		Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Stacey Plaskett		 United States Delegates by seniority
6th 		Last
Preceded by
United States Delegates by seniority		 Order of Precedence of the United States Succeeded by
Alejandro García Padilla
as Governor of Puerto Rico