Gov. David Ige appointed Kai Kahele today to fill his late father’s state Senate seat.
Gov. David Ige appointed Kai Kahele today to fill his late father’s state Senate seat.
“Kai has extensive community support and is committed to completing the work of his father,” Ige said in a statement. “He has a broad vision for the future of this district and for all of Hawaii Island that will serve his constituents well.”
The late Sen. Gil Kahele, who held the District 1 seat covering greater Hilo, died Jan. 26 at the age of 73. He was sent to the Senate in 2011 by former Gov. Neil Abercrombie who appointed him to fill another vacancy.
Kai Kahele was one of three people the Hawaii County Democratic Party nominated to fill the vacancy left by Gil Kahele on Saturday. The other two were Dolly Strazar and Kaloa Robinson.
The seat will be up for grabs in this year’s primary and general elections. The winner will complete the rest of the term through 2018.
Kai Kahele is a Hawaiian Airlines pilot and major in the Hawaii Air National Guard.
He also was a combat veteran C-17 instructor pilot who received the National Defense Service Medal and a U.S. Air Force Air Medal for combat missions flown in Afghanistan, the governor’s office said.