Brenton Awa

Brenton Awa was born on February 19, 1986 in Kaʻaʻawa on the island of Oahu.{{Cite web |title=Senator Awa bio |url=https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/legislature/memberpage.aspx?member=225&year=2025}} He was raised in Kahalu'u and is a 2004 graduate of Kahuku High & Intermediate School where he was a stand-out high school wrestler.{{Cite web |title=Brenton Awa |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Brenton_Awa |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}} As a senior,{{Cite web |title=Honolulu Star-Bulletin Sports |url=https://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/03/06/sports/index5.html |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=archives.starbulletin.com}} Awa led the Red Raiders to their first State Wrestling Championship in 18 years.{{Cite web |title=Honolulu Star-Bulletin Sports |url=https://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/03/07/sports/story7.html |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=archives.starbulletin.com}}{{Cite web |title=Wrestling - Sports - Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) |url=https://hhsaa.org/sports/wrestling/tournament/record_book |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=hhsaa.org}}

Awa would later go on to wrestle for Clarion University of Pennsylvania while earning a degree in Speech Communication & Leadership.{{Cite web |title=2006-2007 Clarion University |url=https://armdrag.com/matburn?team=398&year=2007 |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=armdrag.com}}{{Cite web |title=ArchivesSpace Public Interface {{!}} Clarion University Archives {{!}} 2005-2006 Clarion Wrestling Media Guide |url=https://as-clarion.klnpa.org/repositories/2/archival_objects/5481 |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=as-clarion.klnpa.org}}

Awa briefly returned to his alma mater in 2008 as head coach of Kahuku High School's junior varsity wrestling team which ended up winning the OIA Championship that season.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Awa began his career in television news with a seven month long unpaid internship for KGMB9 News in January 2009. Awa was the CBS station's last intern prior to its merger with then NBC affiliate KHNL. Following the CBS/NBC merger, Awa landed his first paid role in television news as an associate producer, making $12 an hour. Awa went on to be promoted to video-journalist.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

In 2015, ABC affiliate KITV{{Cite web |last=Blair |first=Chad |title=Brenton Awa Running For Hawaii State Senate |url=https://www.civilbeat.org/beat/brenton-awa-running-for-hawaii-state-senate/ |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=Honolulu Civil Beat |date=October 11, 2021 |language=en}} hired Awa as a reporter. Three years later, the station promoted Awa to morning anchor,{{Cite web |title=ON THE MOVE – DECEMBER 2018 {{!}} NATAS SF/NorCal |url=https://emmysf.tv/membership-2/december-2018-off-camera-2-2-2/on-the-move-december-2018/ |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=emmysf.tv}} followed by another promotion to evening anchor a year later. Awa was fired from KITV in July 2021 after allegedly "punching a newsroom door in frustration over what he said were orders to ignore fundamental journalism ethics."{{Cite web |last=Nakaso |first=Dan |date=2023-01-25 |title=Freshman lawmakers aim to rebuild Hawaii's GOP |url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/01/25/hawaii-news/freshman-lawmakers-aim-to-rebuild-hawaiis-gop/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=Honolulu Star-Advertiser |language=en}} Awa sued the station over his firing. He then worked as a substitute teacher at Kahuku High School.{{Cite web |last=Lovell |first=Blaze |date=2022-09-27 |title=Former TV Anchor And Longtime Activist Face Off In Rural Oahu Senate Race |url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2022/09/former-tv-anchor-and-longtime-activist-face-off-in-rural-oahu-senate-race/ |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=Honolulu Civil Beat |language=en}}

Awa was first elected to the Hawaii Senate in November 2022.{{Cite web |last=Blair |first=Chad |date=January 1, 2023 |title=A Conversation With Hawaii's Newest GOP State Senator |url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2023/01/a-conversation-with-hawaiis-newest-gop-state-senator/ |access-date=January 21, 2023 |website=Honolulu Civil Beat |language=en}} On November 5, 2024, voters re-elected Awa to a four-year term in the Hawaii Senate.{{Cite web |date=November 7, 2024 |title=Reelected state Sen. Brenton Awa slated to become minority leader |url=https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2024-11-06/senate-brenton-awa-minority-leader |access-date=February 24, 2025 |website=Hawai'i Public Radio |language=en}} Leading up to the 2024 election, Awa notably pledged not to campaign or accept donations, in contrast to both his opponents.{{Cite web |date=October 22, 2024 |title=These 2 Senate races could flip seats in the state Legislature |url=https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2024-10-22/key-senate-races-election-flip-seats-state-legislature |access-date=February 24, 2025 |website=Hawai'i Public Radio |language=en}}

In his first term, Awa promoted policies to prevent foreigners from purchasing land in Hawaii in an effort to keep local residents from being "priced out of paradise."{{Cite web |title=New Hawaii bill would ban foreigners from buying land on the Islands |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/new-hawaii-bill-ban-foreigners-buying-land-islands/story?id=107021311 |access-date=February 25, 2025 |website=ABC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Martinez |first=Jolanie |date=February 7, 2024 |title=Crowds gather to testify on bill that would ban foreigners from buying property in Hawaii |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2024/02/07/foreigners-would-be-banned-buying-property-hawaii-under-new-proposed-bill-gaining-support-local-homebuyers/ |access-date=February 25, 2025 |website=Hawaii News Now |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Consillio |first=Kristen |date=February 6, 2024 |title=Legislative bills aim to ban foreigners from buying property in Hawaii |url=https://www.kitv.com/news/local/legislative-bills-aim-to-ban-foreigners-from-buying-property-in-hawaii/article_bb119fa8-c56c-11ee-bb48-6f1c1304fb5e.html |access-date=February 25, 2025 |website=KITV Island News |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=February 6, 2024 |title=Should foreigners be banned from purchasing land in Hawaii? |url=https://www.khon2.com/local-news/should-foreigners-be-banned-from-purchasing-land-in-hawaii/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240925133703/https://www.khon2.com/local-news/should-foreigners-be-banned-from-purchasing-land-in-hawaii/ |archive-date=September 25, 2024 |access-date=February 25, 2025 |work=KHON2 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Farrell |first=James |title=Here's Why Some Hawaii Lawmakers Want To Ban Foreigners From Purchasing Land |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesfarrell/2024/02/08/heres-why-some-hawaii-lawmakers-want-to-ban-foreigners-from-purchasing-land/ |access-date=February 25, 2025 |website=Forbes |language=en}}

Awa brought the State and U.S. Army together to fix a decades-long water leak on Oahu's North Shore that had been causing a loss of more than one-million gallons of freshwater per month.{{Cite news |date=October 2, 2023 |title=Decade long water leak being fixed after millions of gallons wasted |url=https://www.khon2.com/local-news/decade-long-water-leak-being-fixed-after-millions-of-gallons-wasted/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231205181347/https://www.khon2.com/local-news/decade-long-water-leak-being-fixed-after-millions-of-gallons-wasted/ |archive-date=December 5, 2023 |access-date=February 25, 2025 |work=KHON2 |language=en-US}}

Awa established a first-of-its-kind, side-of-the-road public food tree project in his hometown of Kahalu'u by planting 70 ulu and mountain apple trees to feed the community.{{Cite web |last=Naktin |first=Eric |date=December 16, 2023 |title=Kahalu'u community members unite and plant a foundation for future food sources |url=https://www.kitv.com/news/kahaluu-community-members-unite-and-plant-a-foundation-for-future-food-sources/article_68c7d588-9c99-11ee-8929-4f221d2374af.html |access-date=February 25, 2025 |website=KITV Island News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Martinez |first=Jolanie |date=December 17, 2023 |title=Small project to plant fruit trees along highway seen as big step toward sustainability |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/12/17/small-project-plant-fruit-trees-along-highway-seen-big-step-toward-sustainability/ |access-date=February 25, 2025 |website=Hawaii News Now |language=en}} He would later plant a similar project in Haleʻiwa to restore the area's decimated coconut tree population.{{Cite web |title=Project aims to fight invasive beetle |url=https://www.khon2.com/local-news/project-aims-to-fight-invasive-beetle/}}

In May 2023, after a call from producers of American Idol, and with a week's notice, Awa organized a team and hosted a homecoming concert attended by an estimated 12,000 fans of former Kahuku resident Iam Tongi, who went on to become Hawaii's first American Idol.{{Cite news |date=May 15, 2023 |title=Iam Tongi makes it to Top 3 of 'American Idol' |url=https://www.khon2.com/local-news/iam-tongi-makes-it-to-top-3-of-american-idol/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230929160407/https://www.khon2.com/local-news/iam-tongi-makes-it-to-top-3-of-american-idol/ |archive-date=September 29, 2023 |access-date=February 25, 2025 |work=KHON2 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Iam Tongi Concert Preps |url=https://www.khon2.com/local-news/homecoming-preps-underway-as-iam-tongi-moves-to-top-5-on-idol/}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Hawaii Senate|years=2024–present}}

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{{Current Hawaii statewide political officials}}

{{U.S. State Senate Floor Leaders}}

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Category:1980s births

Category:21st-century members of the Hawaii State Legislature

Category:American television news anchors

Category:Asian American and Pacific Islander state legislators in Hawaii

Category:Asian conservatism in the United States

Category:Clarion University of Pennsylvania alumni

Category:Living people

Category:Native Hawaiian politicians

Category:People from Honolulu County, Hawaii

Category:Republican Party Hawaii state senators