Amata Coleman Radewagen

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Amata Coleman Radewagen
Aumua Amata
Delegate to the
U.S. House of Representatives
from American Samoa's at-large district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2015
Preceded byEni Faleomavaega
Republican National Committeewoman from American Samoa
Incumbent
Assumed office
1986
Personal details
Born
Amata Catherine Coleman

(1947-12-29) December 29, 1947 (age 77)
Constitution (2012)
SpouseFred Radewagen
Children3
RelativesPeter (father)
Nora (mother)
EducationUniversity of Guam (BS)
Signature
WebsiteHouse website
Amata Coleman Radewagen's voice
Amata Coleman Radewagen speaks in support of Pacific Island condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Recorded March 7, 2023

Amata Catherine Coleman Radewagen (

delegate for the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa. Radewagen, a Republican, was elected on November 4, 2014, after defeating Democratic incumbent Eni Faleomavaega; she was the first-ever Republican delegate since the office had been created in 1970 and began her tenure on January 3, 2015.[1] She also serves as the national committeewoman for the Republican Party of American Samoa. Amata is the first woman to represent American Samoa in the U.S. Congress.[2][3]

By winning 75.4% of the vote in her 2016 re-election, Aumua Amata attained the highest number of votes in American Samoa history.[4] She won reelection with 83.3 percent of the votes in a three-way race in 2018.[5]

She has been the scheduling director for the United States House of Representatives majority leadership for eight years. Radewagen has been the most senior member of the Republican National Committee since 2012. She was a member of both the executive committee for the 2016–17 presidential transition and the executive committee for the 2017 Republican National Committee Chairman's Transition Committee.[4]

Early life and education

Amata Catherine Coleman Radewagen is the daughter of

Native Hawaiian, and Scottish descent.[8] Radewagen has twelve siblings.[7][3] She attended Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu, Hawaii, for secondary education and graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Guam in 1975.[9] She also took classes at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, and George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.[3]

She married Fred Radewagen in December 1971.

Pago Pago—her hometown and where she is a registered voter.[7][3] From 1984 to 1997, Amata was the chief diplomatic correspondent for the Washington Pacific Report.[3]

Political career

Aumua Amata has been an executive assistant to the first Delegate-at-Large from American Samoa.[10]

From 1997 to 1999, Radewagen served on the staff of United States Representative

Eni F. H. Faleomavaega. She failed to gain the nomination of the Republican Party of American Samoa in 1996 and 2000, and she ran as an independent in the 1998 elections.[3]

Radewagen was appointed in 2001, by President George W. Bush, as a Commissioner on the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI); she chaired the Community Security Committee.[7][12] Radewagen was the only Pacific Islander on the 15-member commission.[7]

Since 1994, Radewagen has participated in every federal election.

American Samoa Republican Party in the Republican National Committee.[1][15] Radewagen is the most senior member.[7][16]

In 2019, she was reappointed by

President Donald Trump to serve on the President's Advisory Commission for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for a second stint.[17]

United States House of Representatives

2014 election

Main article: 2014 American Samoan general election § Delegate

Radewagen ran for American Samoa's at-large congressional district in the 2014 elections. She defeated the Democratic incumbent Delegate Eni Faleomavaega, 42% to 31%; former Democratic governor Togiola Tulafono finished third at 11% in the nine-way contest.[18][19]

2016 election

Main article: 2016 United States House of Representatives election in American Samoa

Radewagen was re-elected in 2016, receiving the highest number of votes in American Samoa history for any elective office, winning 75.4% of the vote cast.[20][21][22]

Tenure

Radewagen assumed office on January 3, 2015. Upon taking office, she became the

Asian-Pacific federal officeholder in the United States.[7]

Radewagen has a bipartisan track record. She was ranked the 28th and 14th most bipartisan Representative in the

The Lugar Center and McCourt School of Public Policy's Bipartisan Index.[23][24][25]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Election results

  • Note: Elections in American Samoa are nonpartisan and candidates are not listed with party affiliation. Partisan identification is for informational purposes
American Samoa Delegate election results, 2024[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Amata Coleman Radewagen (inc.) 7,394 74.8%
Independent Luisa Kuaea 1,840 18.6%
Democratic Fualaau Rosie Lancaster 469 4.7%
Democratic Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman 185 1.9%
Total votes 9,888 100.0%
American Samoa Delegate election results, 2022[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Amata Coleman Radewagen (inc.) 6,637 100.0
Total votes 6,637 100.0
American Samoa Delegate election results, 2020[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Amata Coleman Radewagen (inc.) 9,880 83.5%
Democratic Oreta Crichton 1,704 14.4%
Democratic Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman 249 2.1%
Total votes 11,833 100.0%
American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 6, 2018[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Amata Coleman Radewagen (inc.) 7,194 83.28%
Independent Tuika Tuika 785 9.09%
Democratic Meleagi Suitonu–Chapman 659 7.63%
Total votes 8,638 100.0%
American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 8, 2016[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Amata Coleman Radewagen (inc.) 8,924 75.4
Democratic Salu Hunkin-Finau 1,581 13.4
Democratic Mapu Jamias 978 8.3
Democratic Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman 181 1.50
Independent Timothy Jones 171 1.40
Total votes 11,835 100.0
Republican hold
American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 4, 2014[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Amata Coleman Radewagen 4,306 42.0%
Democratic
Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
(Incumbent) 		3,157 30.8%
Democratic Togiola Tulafono 1,130 11.0%
Democratic Mapu S. Jamias 652 6.4%
Independent Rosie Fuala‘au Tago Lancaster 286 2.6%
Independent Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman 229 2.2%
Independent Tuika Tuika 201 2.0%
Democratic Tu‘au Kereti Mata‘Utia Jr 160 1.6%
Independent Mark Ude 143 1.4%
Total votes 10,246 100.0%
American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 6, 2012[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic
Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
(incumbent) 		7,221 55.2%
Constitution Amata Coleman Radewagen 4,420 33.8%
Independent Rosie Fuala‘au Tago Lancaster 697 5.3%
Democratic Kereti Mata‘utia Jr 438 3.3%
Independent Fatumalala Leulua‘iali‘i A. Al-Sheri 300 2.3%
Total votes 13,076 100.0%
American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 2, 2010[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic
Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
(incumbent) 		6,182 56.4%
Republican Amata Coleman Radewagen 4,422 40.3%
Independent Tuika Tuika 356 3.3%
Total votes 10,960 100.0%
American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 4, 2008[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic
Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
(incumbent) 		7,499 60.4%
Republican Amata Coleman Radewagen 4,350 35.0%
Independent Rosie Fuala‘au Tago Lancaster 570 4.6%
Total votes 12,419 100.0%
American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 7, 2006[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic
Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
(incumbent) 		5,195 47.1%
Republican Amata Coleman Radewagen 4,493 40.7%
Independent Ae Ae Muavaefaatasi Jr. 1,345 12.2%
Total votes 11,033 100.0%
American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 2, 2004[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic
Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
(incumbent) 		6,656 54.9%
Republican Amata Coleman Radewagen 5,472 45.1%
Total votes 12,128 100.0%
American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 5, 2002 (Runoff November 19, 2002)[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic
Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
(incumbent) 		4,294 41.3%
Independent Fagafaga D. Langkilde 3,332 32.1%
Republican Amata Coleman Radewagen 2,767 26.6%
Total votes 10,393 100.0%
General election
Democratic
Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
(incumbent) 		4,959 54.8%
Independent Fagafaga D. Langkilde 4,083 45.2%
Total votes 9,042 100.0%
American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 3, 1998[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic
Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
(incumbent) 		8,138 80.8%
Independent Seigafolava Robert Pene 1,273 12.7%
Independent Amata Coleman Radewagen 651 6.5%
Total votes 10,062 100.0%
American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 8, 1994[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic
Eni F. H. Faleomavaega
(incumbent) 		6,517 63.5%
Republican Amata Coleman Radewagen 2,116 20.6%
Independent Fal‘ivae Apelu Galea‘i 1,299 12.7%
Independent Tuika Tuika 324 3.2%
Total votes 10,256 100.0%

Other activity

Radewagen has been involved in helping build democratic institutions internationally.[7] As a trainer since 1992, she has participated in missions to Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, and Morocco for the International Republican Institute and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, among other activities.[7][3] She began advocating on behalf of breast cancer awareness after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993.[3]

She is a founding member of the American Samoa Society and a life member of the

La Mesa, CA, as well as the Trailblazer Award from the Republican National Convention
. She is a current board member at the Field House 100 American Samoa.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Fili Sagapolutele (November 9, 2014). "1st Woman Elected as American Samoa Delegate". Associated Press. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  2. ISBN 9781683357810
    .
  3. ^
    Government Printing Office
    .
  4. ^ a b "Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen". University of Hawaii. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020.
  5. ISBN 9781544327112
    .
  6. ^ a b Inder, Stuart, ed. (February 1, 1972). "People: Samoan Bride". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 43, no. 2. p. 32. Retrieved January 22, 2025 – via Trove.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Biography". U.S. Representative Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  8. ^ a b "Nora S. Coleman, 85". Saipan Tribune. May 15, 2015. Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  9. ^ "RADEWAGEN, Amata Coleman". Office of the Historian. United States House of Representatives. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  10. ^
    ISBN 9780160929960
    .
  11. ^ a b c "RADEWAGEN, Aumua Amata Coleman". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  12. ^ "National Committeewoman". gop.com. Republican National Committee. 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  13. ^ "Amata Thanks American Samoa Voters". Radio New Zealand International. November 7, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  14. eVols
  15. Project Vote Smart
    . Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  16. ^ Gizzi, John (February 9, 2015). "American Samoa's Radewagen Can Make a Difference in Committees". Marianas Variety. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  17. ^ "Biography | US Representative Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen". Radewagen.house.gov. November 4, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  18. ^ Cama, Timothy (November 5, 2014) – "American Samoa Delegate Loses Seat". The Hill. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  19. ^ Official Results of the General Election 2014 Archived December 23, 2014, at the Wayback Machine American Samoa Election Office. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  20. ^ Sagapolutele, Fiji (November 9, 2016). "Incumbent Aumua Amata heading back to Washington D.C." Samoa News. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  21. ^ Election 2016 RESULTS_CONGRESS.pdf
  22. ^ "Biography". December 11, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  23. The Lugar Center
    , March 7, 2016, retrieved July 9, 2018
  24. ^ "The Lugar Center - McCourt School Bipartisan Index" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: The Lugar Center. April 24, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  25. ^ "Aumua Amata tops bipartisan index". Pago Pago, American Samoa: Talanei. May 21, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  26. ^ "Members". Congressional Western Caucus. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  27. ^ "90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members". Citizen´s Climate Lobby. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  28. ^ "Members of the Caucus on U.S. - Türkiye Relations & Turkish Americans". Turkish Coalition of America. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  29. ^ "American Samoa Election Results 2024". Talanei. November 6, 2024. Archived from the original on January 13, 2025. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Election Statistics, 1920 to Present | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". History.house.gov. September 11, 2001. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Delegate to the
U.S. House of Representatives
from American Samoa's at-large congressional district

2015–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States delegates by seniority
3rd 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Amata_Coleman_Radewagen&oldid=1278888977"