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Scott Kawasaki
Scott Kawasaki
	Kawasaki in 2019
Member of the Alaska Senate
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; January 15, 2019
Preceded by	Pete Kelly
Constituency	A (2019–23); P (since 2023)
Member of the Alaska House of Representatives
	In office; January 16, 2007 – January 15, 2019
Preceded by	Jim Holm
Succeeded by	Bart LeBon
Constituency	9 (2007–13); 4 (2013–15); 1 (2015–19)
Personal details
Born	March 20, 1975 (age 49); Tokyo, Japan
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of Alaska Fairbanks (BS)
Signature

Scott Jiu Wo Kawasaki^[1] (born March 20, 1975) is an American healthcare professional and politician from Alaska. A Democrat, he is a member of the Alaska Senate representing the state's District P, which includes neighborhoods within the city limits of Fairbanks.

Early life and education

Scott Kawasaki was born in Tokyo, Japan while his parents Koji and Virginia Kawasaki taught internationally. The family returned to Fairbanks in 1980, where he has lived ever since. Kawasaki attended public schools in Fairbanks before earning a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2006.

Career

Kawasaki was elected to the Fairbanks City Council in 1999. At age 24, he was one of the youngest members ever to serve on that body. He served on the Fairbanks City Council for two consecutive terms from 1999 till 2005.

Kawasaki was elected state representative for House District 9, in 2006, defeating Republican incumbent Jim Holm by 2617 votes (55 percent) to 2118 (45 percent).^[2] He had previously run in 2004, losing to Holm by 52 votes.^[3]

Kawasaki was reelected in 2008 defeating Republican challenger Sue Hull.^[4] He was the youngest member of the legislature at that time. Kawasaki defeated Republican nominee Joseph Michel in the 2010 election. In 2012, in District 4, he narrowly beat David Pruhs, with 51-47% of the vote.

In 2014, he beat Gregory Bringhurst with 55% of the tally, and was unopposed in 2016.^[5] Prior to the appointment of Sam Kito III in 2014, Kawasaki was the only Asian American currently serving in the Alaska Legislature.^[6]^[7]

Kawasaki ran against incumbent Senator Pete Kelly in 2018, winning with 50.79% of the vote.^[8]^[9] The Fairbanks-North Star Borough Assembly's Presiding Officer Kathryn Dodge filed to run as a Democrat for the House seat Kawasaki had held. She lost by one vote.^[8]^[10]

References

^ Alaska Legislative Affairs Agency (January 2010). Directory 26th Alaska Legislature 2009–2010 (Second Session ed.). Juneau: Alaska Legislative Council. p. 12.
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 22, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 15, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 18, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ State of Alaska 2012 General Election November 6, 2012 Official Results, Alaska Division of Elections, 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
^ Forgey, Pat (December 6, 2012). "Election, redistricting diminishes Natives' power in Alaska Legislature". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
^ Pinsker, Adam (February 26, 2014). "Rep. Kito III Sworn into Office". KTUU. Archived from the original on February 9, 2015. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
^ ^a ^b 2018 Election Results, Alaska Division of Elections, November 6, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
^ Granger, Erin. "Kawasaki, Kelly file for District A Senate seat". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
^ Fairbanks assembly member to run for state House; Kawasaki may aim at Kelly, Fairbanks News-Miner, Matt Buxton, May 30, 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.