Duke Bainum
Encyclopedia
Mark Edmund "Duke" Bainum (July 21, 1952 – June 9, 2009) was an American politician
and physician
. Bainum served in the Hawaii State House of Representatives as a member of the Hawaii Democratic Party and was elected in a nonpartisan race to the Honolulu City Council
and held various committee chairmanships during his tenure. In 2004, Bainum ran for Mayor of Honolulu
in the state of Hawaii
, but lost to former White House Aide
Mufi Hannemann
. Bainum was married to Jennifer Toma Bainum.
and raised "dirt poor". In 1980, he graduated from the University of Maryland
School of Medicine and moved to Honolulu, Hawaii
to attend the University of Hawaii Surgical Residency Program at the John A. Burns School of Medicine
.
While there, Bainum's colleagues nicknamed him "Duke" because his Arkansas
accent made him sound like John Wayne
. He reportedly liked it so much that he officially made part of it his legal name in 1987. Bainum completed his internship two years later.
After becoming a physician, Bainum treated patients in Nepal
for three months, helped Kauai
residents after Hurricane Iniki
, and from 1987 to 2004 was an on-call doctor at the Sex Abuse Treatment Center in Honolulu.
, spending nearly twice as much as Hannemann. Considered the early front-runner, he lost by a narrow margin (1,300 votes). In January 2008, Bainum again returned to the political ring and won a Honolulu City Council seat, running unopposed, although not without controversy, as some questioned whether he was a legal resident of Hawaii at the time.
. A senior adviser to Bainum said that there were no other warning signs other than chest pain, that Bainum "was feeling well at work" and "having fun chasing the kids around in the evening". Bainum's unexpected death was the second to hit the City Council in six months (Barbara Marshall
died in February).
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
and physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. Bainum served in the Hawaii State House of Representatives as a member of the Hawaii Democratic Party and was elected in a nonpartisan race to the Honolulu City Council
Honolulu City Council
The Honolulu City Council is the legislative branch of the City & County of Honolulu and is considered the second most powerful parliamentary body in the State of Hawaii, following the Hawaii State Legislature...
and held various committee chairmanships during his tenure. In 2004, Bainum ran for Mayor of Honolulu
Mayor of Honolulu
The Mayor of Honolulu is the chief executive officer of the City and County of Honolulu and considered the third most powerful official in the U.S. state of Hawaii, behind the Governor of Hawaii and the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii...
in the state of 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...
, but lost to former White House Aide
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Mufi Hannemann
Mufi Hannemann
Muliufi Francis "Mufi" Hannemann is an American politician. He is the former Mayor of Honolulu. Hannemann has served as a special assistant in Washington, D.C., with the Department of the Interior, where he was selected for a White House fellowship in the Reagan administration under Vice President...
. Bainum was married to Jennifer Toma Bainum.
Education and Medicine
According to a 2012 interview with KATIE ISABELLE ANN SULLIVAN, Bainum was born in Takoma Park, MarylandTakoma Park, Maryland
Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C., and part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. Founded in 1883 and incorporated in 1890, Takoma Park, informally called "Azalea City," is a Tree City USA and a nuclear-free zone...
and raised "dirt poor". In 1980, he graduated from the University of Maryland
University of Maryland
When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...
School of Medicine and moved to Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
to attend the University of Hawaii Surgical Residency Program at the John A. Burns School of Medicine
John A. Burns School of Medicine
The John A. Burns School of Medicine is a public, co-educational institution of the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawaii and is one of the leading medical education institutions in the United States. In 1992, Harvard University identified the John A...
.
While there, Bainum's colleagues nicknamed him "Duke" because his Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
accent made him sound like John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
. He reportedly liked it so much that he officially made part of it his legal name in 1987. Bainum completed his internship two years later.
After becoming a physician, Bainum treated patients in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
for three months, helped 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",...
residents after Hurricane Iniki
Hurricane Iniki
Hurricane Iniki was the most powerful hurricane to strike the U.S. state of Hawaii in recorded history. Forming on September 5 during the strong El Niño of 1991–1994, Iniki was one of eleven Central Pacific tropical cyclones during the 1992 season. It attained tropical storm status on...
, and from 1987 to 2004 was an on-call doctor at the Sex Abuse Treatment Center in Honolulu.
Politics
Bainum entered politics when he served on the Ala Moana/Kaka'ako Neighborhood Board between 1987 and 1989. He then chaired the McCully-Mo'ili'ili Neighborhood Board from 1989 to 1990. From 1990–94, he served in the State House and was then elected to the City Council from 1995-2003. In 2004, Bainum decided to run for Honolulu mayor against Mufi HannemannMufi Hannemann
Muliufi Francis "Mufi" Hannemann is an American politician. He is the former Mayor of Honolulu. Hannemann has served as a special assistant in Washington, D.C., with the Department of the Interior, where he was selected for a White House fellowship in the Reagan administration under Vice President...
, spending nearly twice as much as Hannemann. Considered the early front-runner, he lost by a narrow margin (1,300 votes). In January 2008, Bainum again returned to the political ring and won a Honolulu City Council seat, running unopposed, although not without controversy, as some questioned whether he was a legal resident of Hawaii at the time.
Death
Around 9:30 pm on June 9, 2009, Bainum reportedly experienced chest pains while on the road. He pulled over and called 911. Paramedics took him to the Queen's Medical Center, where he later died. The medical examiner reported the cause of death as an aortic aneurysmAortic aneurysm
An aortic aneurysm is a general term for any swelling of the aorta to greater than 1.5 times normal, usually representing an underlying weakness in the wall of the aorta at that location...
. A senior adviser to Bainum said that there were no other warning signs other than chest pain, that Bainum "was feeling well at work" and "having fun chasing the kids around in the evening". Bainum's unexpected death was the second to hit the City Council in six months (Barbara Marshall
Barbara Marshall
Barbara Novak Marshall was a American television broadcast journalist and politician. She was elected three times to the Honolulu City Council in Honolulu, Hawaii following her retirement from broadcasting....
died in February).