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Cedric Solosolo Asuega Gates is a Democratic member of the Hawaii House of Representatives, representing District 45. He was first elected to the chamber in 2016.

Early life and education

Gates is of African-American and American Samoan descent. His mother, Easter Asuega Gates, died in 2006, and his father, William Gates, died in 2014. According to members of his family, he is the great-grandson of Solosolo Mauga Asuega, who was High Chief of Pago Pago.

Gates attended Waianae High School, and later enrolled at Leeward Community College. In 2013, he was honored by Governor Neil Abercrombie as an Outstanding Advocate for Children and Youth.

Political career

In 2014, Gates ran as a Green Party candidate in District 44, losing to Jo Jordan. In 2016, Gates ran against Jordan, this time in the Democratic primary. Gates' 2016 candidacy was controversial, as his 2014 candidacy as a Green Party candidate was supposed to have barred his nomination as a Democrat under Democratic Party of Hawaii rules.

Nevertheless, Gates defeated incumbent Jo Jordan in the District 44 Democratic primary, and went on to defeat Marc Pa'aluhi in the general election. During the 2016 campaign, his campaign posters were vandalized with a racial slur. Upon taking office at age 23, he became the youngest member of the state legislature. After completing his first term in office, Gates was reelected in 2018 and 2020.

In 2024, Gates ran for District 44 in the Hawaii State Senate and was defeated 44.3% to 53.1% by Samantha DeCorte.

References

1. ^ Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu, Joyetter (January 27, 2017). "Lualemaga Faoa remembered as a pillar of the community" (PDF). Samoa News. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-11-24.
2. "Hawaii close to honoring Juneteenth, leaving 1 state holdout". NBC News. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
3. "Legislative Members". www.capitol.hawaii.gov. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
4. "Overcoming Hardship". Hawaii Business Magazine. 2015-05-22. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
5. Cocke, Sophie (2016-11-09). "Chang ousts Slom to create nation's only all-blue Senate". Staradvertiser.com. Retrieved 2017-04-10.
6. "General Election 2022 - State of Hawaii - Statewide" (PDF). hawaii.gov. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
7. Gilmore, Marcus (2016-07-29). "House of Rep. Candidate - Victim of Hateful Vandalism » The Culture Supplier". The Culture Supplier. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
8. "General Election 2024 - State of Hawaii - Statewide" (PDF).

External links

• Biography at Ballotpedia

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• African-American men in politics
• American people of Samoan descent
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• Democratic Party members of the Hawaii House of Representatives
• 21st-century members of the Hawaii State Legislature
• 21st-century African-American politicians
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