Kawika Crowley
Kawika Crowley | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1952 (age 71–72) Japan |
| Political party | Republican |
| Website | www |
 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for biographies. (November 2012) |
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]
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 lost in a landslide to Tulsi Gabbard, who became the first Hindu congressperson.[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
- ^ a b c d "Kawika Crowley, Homeless Handyman, Runs For Congress In Hawaii". Huffington Post. September 4, 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ^ a b c "Handyman hopes to go from homeless to Congress". KLTV. September 10, 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ^ a b c Blair, Chad (August 27, 2012). "Meet Kawika Crowley, Candidate for Congress". Honolulu Civil Beat. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ^ Kawika Crowley Biography - Project Vote Smart
- ^ Hupp, Ken (August 30, 2012). "Congressional hopeful Crowley stumps in Hilo". KPUA-AM. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ^ 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
- ^ Crowley, David Kawika. "The true story of Hawaii 78". hawaiiseventyeight.com. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ^ Former Hilo resident Kawika Crowley takes his U.S. House campaign to the Big Island | West Hawaii Today, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii