Linda Lingle American politician, sixth governor of the state of Hawaii Date of Birth: 04.06.1953 Country: USA

1. Biography of Linda Lingle
2. Political Career
3. Mayor of Maui County
4. Governor of Hawaii
5. Legacy

Biography of Linda Lingle

Linda Lingle, an American politician and the sixth governor of the state of Hawaii, was born Linda Catter in St. Louis, Missouri in 1953. She moved to Southern California with her family when she was twelve years old. After graduating from high school in Lake Balboa, she attended the University of California, where she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism.

Political Career

After completing university, Linda moved to Hawaii with her father and worked as a public relations officer for local labor groups in Honolulu. She then moved to Molokai and launched a community newspaper called "Molokai Free Press." Linda was married and divorced twice, and she currently does not have any children.

Mayor of Maui County

In 1980, Linda was elected to the Maui County Council, where she served for five two-year terms. During her time on the council, she represented Molokai for three terms. After the mayor of Maui County resigned in 1990, Linda decided to run for the position. Despite being initially behind in the polls, she managed to defeat her opponent and became the youngest person and the first woman ever elected as mayor of Maui County.

Governor of Hawaii

In 1998, Linda ran for governor of Hawaii, as she was unable to seek another term as mayor. The Republican Party nominated her as their candidate against Benjamin Cayetano. Linda based her campaign on the dissatisfaction of the local economy, and despite initial polling indicating Cayetano as the favorite, Linda surprised everyone by coming within 1 percent of him on election day. Although she was initially declared the loser, the small margin made history in the state. Cayetano was unable to run for a third term, and Linda had gained even more popularity among the residents of Hawaii. In the subsequent election, she faced Vice Governor Mazie Hirono, making it one of the few gubernatorial races in which both major party candidates were women. Linda emerged victorious and became the first Republican governor of Hawaii since 1962, as well as the first female, Jewish, childless, and former mayor to hold the position.

Legacy

Linda Lingle's tenure as governor was marked by a focus on a productive budget and an increase in tourism and job creation. She left office in 2010 and continues to be a well-known figure in Hawaii politics.