Togiola Tulafono | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 6thGovernor of American Samoa | |
| In office March 26, 2003 – January 3, 2013 Acting: March 26, 2003 – April 7, 2003 | |
| Lieutenant | Faoa Aitofele Sunia |
| Preceded by | Tauese Sunia |
| Succeeded by | Lolo Matalasi Moliga |
| 7thLieutenant Governor of American Samoa | |
| In office January 3, 1997 – March 26, 2003 | |
| Governor | Tauese Sunia |
| Preceded by | Tauese Sunia |
| Succeeded by | Faoa Aitofele Sunia |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1947-02-28)February 28, 1947 (age 78) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Mary Ann Tu |
| Children | 5 daughters 1 son |
| Education | Chadron State College (BA) Washburn University (JD) |
Togiola Talalelei A. Tulafono (born February 28, 1947) is an American Samoan politician and lawyer who served as the sixthgovernor of American Samoa. He is a member of theDemocratic Party. He had previously served as the seventhlieutenant governor.
Tulafono was lieutenant governor when, on March 26, 2003, GovernorTauese Pita Fiti Sunia died. He then becameacting governor and officially became governor on April 7, 2003. He was elected to a full 4-year term in theNovember 2004 gubernatorial elections and was re-elected in theNovember 2008 gubernatorial election.
Tulafono did not run for governor in 2012 as he was term-limited and could not seek a third consecutive term.[1] He was an unsuccessful candidate forAmerican Samoa's at-large congressional district in 2014.
Togiola T. A. Tulafono was born on February 28, 1947, inAunu'u Island,American Samoa.[2]
Tulafono was educated in Samoa, attendingelementary school in Autu'u andSamoana High School.[2]He attendedChadron State College in theUnited States, where he earned bachelor's degrees in bothpolitical science andsociology in 1970.[2] He received adoctor of laws degree from theWashburn University School of Law inTopeka, Kansas, in 1975.[2]
Tulafono has served as adeacon of theCongregational Christian Church inSa'ilele, American Samoa, for over 25 years.[2]
After college, Tulafono worked as a legal assistant at American Samoa'sAttorney General's Office and as an administrative assistant for the Secretary of Samoan Affairs.[2] He spent two years each working as a private practiceattorney and as a vice president forSouth Pacific Island Airways during the late 1970s.[3]
Tulafono was appointed as adistrict courtjudge in 1978 and then to theAmerican Samoa Senate in 1980. After serving one term in the upper house forSa'Ole County,[2] he reentered law practice, but then ran again successfully for a Senate seat in 1989.[3] However, he was later elected to theAmerican Samoa Senate for Sua County for eight years.[2] He also chaired theboard of directors for theAmerican Samoa Power Authority and was the first chairman of the Board of Higher Education.[2]
Tulafono further co-chaired theSouth Pacific Mini Games committee in 1997 when American Samoa hosted the games.[2] He later co-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.[2]
Tulafono presently serves as vice chairman of the territorial church general assembly of American Samoa as of 2008.[2]
After his term as governor ended, Tulafono ran forU.S. Delegate forAmerican Samoa's at-large congressional district for the2014 elections, but he lost at third place with 11% of the vote.[4]
Tulafono was sworn in as theLieutenant Governor of American Samoa under GovernorTauese Sunia on January 3, 1997.[2] Sunia and Tulafono were re-elected in 2000 and sworn into their second terms in office on January 3, 2001.[5]
Tulafono remained lieutenant governor until Sunia's sudden death from a heart attack on March 26, 2003. Tulafono becameacting governor until he was formally sworn into office as Governor of American Samoa on April 7, 2003.[2]
In the first round ofelections on November 2, 2004, Tulafono received 48.4% of the vote. In thesecond round on November 16, Tulafono defeatedAfoa 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 theNational Governors Association and theDemocratic Governors Association.
Tulafono took part in endorsing SenatorHillary Clinton forPresident of the United States during the2008 presidential primaries and theAmerican Samoa Democratic caucuses, 2008 and became the national co-chair ofAsian Americans andPacific Islanders for Hillary.[6]
It was under Tulafono's leadership that American Samoa became, in November 2011, a founding member of thePolynesian Leaders Group, a regional grouping intended to cooperate on a variety of issues including culture and language, education, responses to climate change, and trade and investment.[7][8][9]
In July 2006, Governor Tulafono issued a mandate toHawaiian Airlines, giving the airline ninety days to cease service toPago Pago International Airport inPago Pago. The carrier, which offers the only service to American Samoa (beside commuter flights toApia, in the country ofSamoa), from its hub inHonolulu, was accused of predatory pricing practices and ethnic harassment by the governor.[10]
In August 2006, theFAA 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.[11]
Governor Togiola Tulafono and Lieutenant Governor Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia announced their joint reelection campaign on May 10, 2008, at the Tradewinds Hotel inTafuna.[12] The2008 American Samoa gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2008. Governor Tulafono and Lieutenant Governor Sunia received 41.1% of the vote, challengersUtu Abe Malae and Nua Mailo Saoluaga received 31.4%, andAfoa 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, Tulafono and Utu Abe Malae on November 18, 2008, which Tulafono won.[13]
In 2012, both the Governor and American Samoa'sdelegate to the US Congress called for the populace to consider a move towards autonomy if not independence, to a mixed response.[14][15]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa 1997–2003 | Succeeded by |
| Governor of American Samoa 2003–2013 | Succeeded by | |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forGovernor of American Samoa 2004,2008 | Succeeded by |
| Commandant(1900–1905) |  | |
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| Naval(1905–1951) | ||
| Civil(1951–1978) | ||
| Elected(since 1978) | ||
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