Kawika Crowley
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| Personal details | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1952 (age 71–72) Japan |
| Political party | Republican |
| Website | www |
David "Kawika" Crowley, born in 1952, was the Hawaii Republican nominee for the United States House of Representatives, 2nd congressional district in November 2012. He was a colorful and offbeat candidate who achieved notability as the "homeless handyman" running for Congress. He was the first homeless person in Hawaii — and perhaps any state — to be nominated for Congress on a major party ticket.[1][2] In 2014 Crowley again won the Republican primary race for the 2nd Congressional district in a contested race.
Early years
By some accounts Crowley was born in Japan as the son of missionaries; by other accounts he was born in North Carolina and moved to Japan with his parents when he was six months old.[3] He grew up speaking and reading Japanese.[1] When he was in 8th grade, he moved to Hilo, Hawaii and learned for the first time to read English.[2] Crowley spent his teenage years and much of his young adulthood in Hilo.[4] He graduated from Hilo High School in 1969.[5] He describes himself as a "college dropout with a degree in common sense."[3]
Political life
Crowley ran for Mayor of the Big Island of Hawaii in 1991. In 2012, Crowley defeated Matthew DiGeronimo to win the Republican nomination for Hawaii's 2nd Congressional district race. Crowley achieved 45% of the vote to his opponent's 29%.[6] In the general election, Crowley was easily beaten by Tulsi Gabbard, who became the first Hindu Member of Congress.[7]
For six years, Crowley represented interests of the Hawaii Bar Owners Association, doing lobbyist work at the Hawaii State House. He is known as "the smoking guy" for his lobbying to repeal Hawaii's ban on indoor smoking in stand alone bars, and is never seen without a cigar.[1] He is opposed to the Honolulu Rail Project and to same-sex marriage.[8] He is a supporter of the Hawaiian sovereignty movement, although he has no Hawaiian ancestry.[3]
Personal life
Divorced with three children, Crowley lived for a number of years as a single parent.[2] He is a handyman and painter who lives out of his car. He earns about $15,000 a year, putting him in the ranks of the "working homeless".[1]
He claims to be the co-writer of the song Hawaii 78[9] and to have a history in the Hawaiian Music industry.[10]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Kawika Crowley Biography - Project Vote Smart
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://hawaii.gov/elections/results/2012/primary/elections/results/2012/primary/files/histatewide.pdf
- ↑ Gabbard easily beats Crowley for US House seat, AP
- ↑ Kawika Crowley: A GOP underdog | West Hawaii Today, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Former Hilo resident Kawika Crowley takes his U.S. House campaign to the Big Island | West Hawaii Today, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
