Brian Schatz

Brian E. Schatz
Schatz on November 2, 2010
11th Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
Incumbent
Assumed office December 6, 2010
Governor	Neil Abercrombie
Preceded by	James Aiona
Chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii
In office May 2008 – January 2010
Preceded by	Jeani Withington
Succeeded by	Dante Carpenter
Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from the 25th district
In office November 3, 1998 – November 7, 2006
Succeeded by	Della Au Belatti
Personal details
Born	October 20, 1972 (1972-10-20) Ann Arbor, Michigan
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Linda Kwok Kai Yun Schatz
Residence	Makiki district, Honolulu, Hawaii
Profession	educator, non-profit business management
Religion	Jewish
Website	Official website

Brian Emanuel Schatz (born October 20, 1972) is an American politician who is the 11th and current Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii. He served in the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1998 to 2006, where he represented the 25th legislative district, and was Chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii from 2008 to 2010.

Schatz was elected Lieutenant Governor in the 2010 Hawaii gubernatorial election as the running mate of Neil Abercrombie, following work as Chief Executive Officer of Helping Hands Hawaii, an Oahu nonprofit social service agency.

Background

Brian Schatz grew up in Hawaii, attending Punahou School there followed by a B.A. in Philosophy from Pomona College in Claremont, California. While at Pomona, Schatz also spent a term studying in Kenya as part of the International Training Program, where Schatz developed skills as a public servant.

After returning to Hawaii, Schatz taught at Punahou School before moving into the non-profit sector.

Brian Schatz is married to Linda Kwok Kai Yun Schatz and has a son Tyler and a daughter Mia.

Community activism

Brian Schatz first became active in the community when he became involved in the Save Sandy Beach movement in the 1980s. He served as CEO of Helping Hands Hawaii as well as Director of both the Makiki Community Library and the Center for a Sustainable Future. In March 2010, Schatz stepped down from Helping Hands to focus on his campaign for the office of Lieutenant Governor.

Political career

From 1998 through 2006 Brian E. Schatz was a Democratic member of the Hawaii House of Representatives, representing the state's 25th district (Makiki/Tantalus), one of the densest and most diverse areas of urban Honolulu. The district includes Makiki, McCully, and Tantalus on the island of Oahu.

While in the House, Schatz served as Chair of the Economic Development and Business Committee, Vice-Chair of Consumer Protection and Commerce, Vice-Chair of Water, Land and Ocean Resources, and as a member of the Hawaiian Affairs, Higher Education, Energy and Environmental Protection, and Agriculture Committees.

In 2006, Schatz was an unsuccessful candidate in the election to succeed U.S. Representative Ed Case, who retired to run for the U.S. Senate, in Hawaii's 2nd congressional district.

In 2008, Schatz worked as spokesman for the Hawaii campaign of Barack Obama. He was elected chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii at the state convention in May, 2008.

2010 campaign for Lieutenant Governor

Neil Abercrombie and his running mate Brian Schatz on the day of the election

On January 10, 2010, Schatz announced his candidacy for the office of Lieutenant Governor, the second-highest political office in the State of Hawai'i. Schatz set the creation of clean-energy jobs, public education, and technological improvements in the public sector as campaign priorities. He has also declared his support for Hawaii House Bill 444, which would have allowed for same-sex civil unions in Hawai'i had it not been vetoed by Governor Linda Lingle.

A number of Hawai'i labor unions endorsed Schatz for Lieutenant Governor in the Democratic primary election, held on September 18, 2010 statewide. Among the unions that endorsed Brian Schatz were:

• State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO).
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1357.
• Ironworkers Union local 625.
• Operating Engineers Local 3.
• International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU).
• Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA).

In addition to labor endorsements, Schatz was also endorsed by Hawai'i political leaders such as Maya Soetoro-Ng, the half-sister of U.S. President Barack Obama, and Kauai Democratic party leaders Ezra Kanoho (a former state representative), Steven Nishimura (Kaua‘i Democratic Party Vice Chair), Sandra Wright (a School Community Councilwoman), and Barbara “Bobbie” Franklin.

On December 6, 2010, Brian Schatz was inaugurated as the 11th Lieutenant Governor of the State of Hawaii alongside Neil Abercrombie who became Governor. The inauguration ceremony took place at the Coronation Pavilion on the grounds of Iolani Palace. James Duffy, an Associate Justice of the Hawaii State Supreme Court administered the oath of office to Abercrombie and Schatz. Brian Schatz replaced outgoing Lieutenant Governor James Aiona who ran unsuccessfully for Governor, being defeated by Neil Abercrombie in the 2010 midterm elections.

Awards

Brian Schatz has won the Hawaii Audubon Society President's Award, the Bank of Hawaii Community Leader of the Year in 2004, and the NOAA's Environmental Hero Award

External links

• Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at the National Institute for Money in State Politics