James Kimo Kealoha (April 29, 1908 – August 24, 1983) was an American politician in Hawaii. He was the first elected lieutenant governor of Hawaii after Hawaii became a state in 1959, serving under Governor William F. Quinn. A Chinese Hawaiian from the island of Hawaii, he was the first Hawaiian Chinese elected to statewide office in the United States.
Kealoha began his political career as a Democrat in the Territory of Hawaii, serving in both houses of the territorial legislature. He later joined the Republican Party, became a leading Big Island Republican, and served six consecutive terms as chairman of Hawaii County. In 1959, he was selected as Quinn's running mate in the first gubernatorial election of the new state. He later broke with Quinn and unsuccessfully challenged him in the 1962 Republican gubernatorial primary. After leaving office, Kealoha made further unsuccessful campaigns for the United States House of Representatives in 1966 and for mayor of Hawaii County in 1968.
Early life and business career
Kealoha was born on April 29, 1908, in Pahoa on the island of Hawaii. His parents were Lee Chau and Alice Makinui Kealoha. His father was a Cantonese immigrant who had come to Hawaii as a plantation laborer. Kealoha was raised by his grandparents and adopted their surname; in Hawaii's Chinese community, he was also known as Lee Yat Wo (李日和). Kealoha initially said he would discuss the idea with his supporters before deciding whether to run.
As lieutenant governor, Kealoha performed both political and ceremonial duties. A December 1959 profile in The Honolulu Advertiser reported that he had recently completed an eight-day period as acting governor and had not ruled out seeking the governorship in 1962. In the interview, Kealoha said that the job's demands were increasing and that he intended to ask the legislature for an administrative assistant.
Kealoha campaigned against Quinn's "Second Mahele" land proposal, arguing that existing land laws already allowed the government to provide land to residents at affordable prices. He also opposed Quinn's highway trust fund plan and supported placing police powers within the counties rather than the state government. In 1968, he ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Hawaii County. The exhibit, called "Passport to Paradise", had involved performers and workers from Hawaii, but the project encountered unpaid bills and internal organizational problems. The park is also known locally as "Four Miles" or "4 Miles", a name derived from its distance from the Hilo Post Office.