Pat Saiki

Pat Saiki
File:Patsaiki.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's 1st district
In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1991
Preceded by	Neil Abercrombie
Succeeded by	Neil Abercrombie
Personal details
Political party	Republican

Patricia Fukuda "Pat" Saiki (born May 28, 1930) is an American politician and former school teacher from Hilo in the State of Hawai'i. She served as a Republican in Congress from 1987 to 1991 and then as Administrator of the Small Business Administration under President of the United States George Herbert Walker Bush.

Saiki, a Japanese American, graduated from Hilo High School in 1948 and received her bachelor's degree from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa in 1952. Upon graduating college, Saiki became a teacher and later a business executive. In 1968, Saiki joined the Hawai'i Republican Party and ran successfully for a seat in the Hawai'i State House of Representatives. In 1974, she moved to the Hawai'i State Senate where she served her district until 1982. A vacancy was created by U.S. Rep. Cecil Heftel's untimely leave from Congress, and on September 20, 1986 a special election was held. Saiki lost the special election (to Democrat Neil Abercrombie) but won a separate election (over Democrat Mufi Hannemann) sending her to Congress where she served two consecutive terms. In 1988, she beat challenger Mary Bitterman, a Democrat and former head of Voice of America.

Saiki is the only Republican to ever hold a House seat from the state of Hawaii and one of only two Republican Congresspeople (the other being Senator Hiram Fong) to represent the state since it gained statehood. She is also the second woman to be elected to Congress from the state of Hawaii (the first being Patsy Mink, whom Saiki served with for two years).

In 1990, she lost a United States Senate race to Daniel K. Akaka but was then appointed Administrator of the Small Business Administration under George Herbert Walker Bush. In 1994, she lost a race for Governor of Hawai'i against Democrat challenger Benjamin J. Cayetano. She attributes her loss in 1994 to the third-party candidacy of maverick Mayor of Honolulu Frank F. Fasi. Saiki placed third in the race behind Fasi.

References

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

External links

• Honolulu Star-Bulletin, November 10, 2002 interview.