Linda Lingle, American journalist and politician, 6th Governor of Hawaii
Linda Lingle
Linda Lingle is an American politician and publisher who served as the sixth governor of Hawaii from 2002 to 2010. A member of the Republican Party, she was the first Republican elected governor of Hawaii since 1959, and was the state's first female and Jewish governor. Prior to serving as governor, Lingle served as mayor of Maui County from 1991 to 1999 and as chair of the Hawaii Republican Party from 1999 to 2002. As of 2025, Lingle and her lieutenant governor, Duke Aiona, are the last Republicans to have won or held statewide office in Hawaii.
Governor of Hawaii
The governor of Hawaii is the head of government of the U.S. state of Hawaii and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 1 through 6. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state.