Bryan J. Baptiste
Encyclopedia
Bryan J. Baptiste was an American
politician and member of the Republican
politician
. He served as mayor
of the County of Kauai
in Hawaii
from 2002 until his death.
Baptiste was born in Lihue, Kauai
. Baptiste was a descendant of Portuguese
immigrants who settled in Hawaii
.
In 1996, Baptiste, then Baptiste, manager of the Kaua'i War Memorial Convention Hall and head of an islandwide park beautification program was elected to the Kaua'i County Council. Baptiste served as a member of the council for six years before running for mayor to succeed Republican Maryanne Kusaka
, who was ineligible to run again due to term limits. In the 2002 mayoral election Baptiste faced two fellow councilmen, Democrats Ron Kouchi and Randal Valenciano. In the September primary election Baptiste received 38% of the vote, Kouchi received 35%, and Valenciano won 21%, allowing Baptiste and Kouchi to advance to the runoff. In the runoff Baptiste defeated Kouchi, winning 12,174 votes to Kouchi's 10,517.
In 2006, Baptiste avoided a runoff by two votes (he needed fifty percent of the vote plus one vote to win), joking, "We had one vote more than we needed to win. That's the cushion."
His wife's name is Annette, and they have four children. He comes from a family that has long been involved in politics on Kauai.
Baptiste died of a heart attack on June 22, 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and member of the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served as mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the County of Kauai
Kauai County, Hawaii
Kauai County is a county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It consists of the islands of Kauai, Niihau, Lehua, and Kaula, in the state of Hawaii. As of 2000 Census the population was 58,463...
in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
from 2002 until his death.
Baptiste was born in Lihue, Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
. Baptiste was a descendant of Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
immigrants who settled in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
In 1996, Baptiste, then Baptiste, manager of the Kaua'i War Memorial Convention Hall and head of an islandwide park beautification program was elected to the Kaua'i County Council. Baptiste served as a member of the council for six years before running for mayor to succeed Republican Maryanne Kusaka
Maryanne Kusaka
Maryanne Kusaka, American politician and former Mayor of the County of Kaua'i. She was mayor of Kauai from 1994 to 2002. A career Republican, Kusaka sought a seat in the Hawai'i State Senate in 2004 but lost to the Democratic Party's Gary Hooser by 16,274 votes to 8,270.Kusaka was born in Kamuela...
, who was ineligible to run again due to term limits. In the 2002 mayoral election Baptiste faced two fellow councilmen, Democrats Ron Kouchi and Randal Valenciano. In the September primary election Baptiste received 38% of the vote, Kouchi received 35%, and Valenciano won 21%, allowing Baptiste and Kouchi to advance to the runoff. In the runoff Baptiste defeated Kouchi, winning 12,174 votes to Kouchi's 10,517.
In 2006, Baptiste avoided a runoff by two votes (he needed fifty percent of the vote plus one vote to win), joking, "We had one vote more than we needed to win. That's the cushion."
His wife's name is Annette, and they have four children. He comes from a family that has long been involved in politics on Kauai.
Baptiste died of a heart attack on June 22, 2008.