Amata Coleman Radewagen

Amata Catherine Coleman Radewagen^[1] (/əˈmɑːtə, ˈrædəˌwæɡən/ ə-MAH-tə RAD-ə-WAG-ən; born December 29, 1947), commonly called Aumua Amata (/aʊˈmuːə/ ow-MOO-ə), is an American Samoan politician who is the current delegate for the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa. Radewagen, a Republican, was elected on November 4, 2014, after defeating Democratic incumbent Eni Faleomavaega; she was the first-ever Republican delegate since the office had been created in 1970 and began her tenure on January 3, 2015.^[2] She also serves as the national committeewoman for the Republican Party of American Samoa. Amata is the first woman to represent American Samoa in the U.S. Congress.^[3][4]

Amata Coleman Radewagen
Aumua Amata
Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from American Samoa's at-large district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2015
Preceded by	Eni Faleomavaega
Republican National Committeewoman from American Samoa
Incumbent
Assumed office 2012
Personal details
Born	Amata Catherine Coleman (1947-12-29) December 29, 1947 (age 76) Pago Pago, American Samoa, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Other political affiliations	Constitution (2012)
Spouse	Fred Radewagen
Children	3
Relatives	Peter Tali Coleman (father) Nora Stewart Coleman (mother)
Education	University of Guam (BS)
Signature
Website	House website

By winning 75.4% of the vote in her 2016 re-election, Aumua Amata attained the highest number of votes in American Samoa history.^[5] She won reelection with 83.3 percent of the votes in a three-way race in 2018.^[6]

She has been the scheduling director for the United States House of Representatives majority leadership for eight years. Radewagen has been the most senior member of the Republican National Committee since 2012. She was a member of both the executive committee for the 2016–17 presidential transition and the executive committee for the 2017 Republican National Committee Chairman's Transition Committee.^[5]

Early life and education

Radewagen is the daughter of Peter Tali Coleman, the first popularly-elected Governor of American Samoa, and Nora Stewart Coleman, the former First Lady of American Samoa.^[4][2][7][8] Her father was Samoan; her mother was of Chinese, German, Native Hawaiian, and Scottish descent.^[8] Radewagen has twelve siblings.^[7][4] She attended Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu, Hawaii, for secondary education and graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Guam in 1975.^[9] She also took classes at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, and George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.^[4]

She is married to Fred Radewagen, and they have three children^[4]) and two grandchildren.^[7][10]

Radewagen holds the orator (talking chief) title of Aumua from the capital of Pago Pago—her hometown and where she is a registered voter.^[7][4]

From 1984 to 1997, Amata was the chief diplomatic correspondent for the Washington Pacific Report.^[4]

Political career

Aumua Amata has been an executive assistant to the first Delegate-at-Large from American Samoa.^[10]

From 1997 to 1999, Radewagen served on the staff of United States Representative Phil Crane of Illinois.^[11] She served on the staff of United States Representative J. C. Watts, Jr. of Oklahoma from 1999 to 2003.^[11] After that, she served on the staff of the House Republican Conference from 2003 to 2005.^[11][4] Radewagen first ran for Congress in the 1994 elections against Democrat Eni F. H. Faleomavaega. She failed to gain the nomination of the Republican Party of American Samoa in 1996 and 2000, and she ran as an independent in the 1998 elections.^[4]

Radewagen was appointed in 2001, by President George W. Bush, as a Commissioner on the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI); she chaired the Community Security Committee.^[7][12] Radewagen was the only Pacific Islander on the 15-member commission.^[7]

Since 1994, Radewagen has participated in every federal election.^[13] Since 1986, she has represented the American Samoa Republican Party in the Republican National Committee.^[2][14] Radewagen is the most senior member.^[7][15]

In 2019, she was reappointed by President Donald Trump to serve on the President's Advisory Commission for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for a second stint.^[16]

United States House of Representatives

2014 election

Main article: 2014 American Samoan general election § Delegate

Radewagen ran for American Samoa's at-large congressional district in the 2014 elections. She defeated the Democratic incumbent Delegate Eni Faleomavaega, 42% to 31%; former Democratic governor Togiola Tulafono finished third at 11% in the nine-way contest.^[17][18]

2016 election

Main article: 2016 United States House of Representatives election in American Samoa

Radewagen was re-elected in 2016, receiving the highest number of votes in American Samoa history for any elective office, winning 75.4% of the vote cast.^[19][20][21]

Tenure

Radewagen assumed office on January 3, 2015. Upon taking office, she became the Republican Party's highest-ranking Asian-Pacific federal officeholder in the United States.^[7]

Radewagen has a bipartisan track record. She was ranked the 28th and 14th most bipartisan Representative in the 114th and 115th United States Congresses, respectively, by The Lugar Center and McCourt School of Public Policy's Bipartisan Index.^[22][23][24]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations
  • Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific (vice chair)
• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs (vice chair)
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
  • Subcommittee on Health

Caucus memberships

• Congressional Western Caucus^[25]
• Climate Solutions Caucus^[26]
• Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans^[27]

Election results

• Note: Elections in American Samoa are nonpartisan and candidates are not listed with party affiliation. Partisan identification is for informational purposes

American Samoa Delegate election results, 2022^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Amata Coleman Radewagen (incumbent)	6,637	100.0
Total votes			6,637	100.0

American Samoa Delegate election results, 2020^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Amata Coleman Radewagen (incumbent)	9,880	83.5%
	Democratic	Oreta Crichton	1,704	14.4%
	Democratic	Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman	249	2.1%
Total votes			11,833	100.0%

American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 6, 2018^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Amata Coleman Radewagen (inc.)	7,194	83.28%
	Independent	Tuika Tuika	785	9.09%
	Democratic	Meleagi Suitonu–Chapman	659	7.63%
Total votes			8,638	100.0%

American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 8, 2016^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Amata Coleman Radewagen (inc.)	8,924	75.4
	Democratic	Salu Hunkin-Finau	1,581	13.4
	Democratic	Mapu Jamias	978	8.3
	Democratic	Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman	181	1.50
	Independent	Timothy Jones	171	1.40
Total votes			11,835	100.0
	Republican hold

American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 4, 2014^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Amata Coleman Radewagen	4,306	42.0%
	Democratic	Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (Incumbent)	3,157	30.8%
	Democratic	Togiola Tulafono	1,130	11.0%
	Democratic	Mapu S. Jamias	652	6.4%
	Independent	Rosie Fuala‘au Tago Lancaster	286	2.6%
	Independent	Meleagi Suitonu-Chapman	229	2.2%
	Independent	Tuika Tuika	201	2.0%
	Democratic	Tu‘au Kereti Mata‘Utia Jr	160	1.6%
	Independent	Mark Ude	143	1.4%
Total votes			10,246	100.0%

American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 6, 2012^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (incumbent)	7,221	55.2%
	Conservative	Amata Coleman Radewagen	4,420	33.8%
	Independent	Rosie Fuala‘au Tago Lancaster	697	5.3%
	Democratic	Kereti Mata‘utia Jr	438	3.3%
	Independent	Fatumalala Leulua‘iali‘i A. Al-Sheri	300	2.3%
Total votes			13,076	100.0%

American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 2, 2010^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (incumbent)	6,182	56.4%
	Republican	Amata Coleman Radewagen	4,422	40.3%
	Independent	Tuika Tuika	356	3.3%
Total votes			10,960	100.0%

American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 4, 2008^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (incumbent)	7,499	60.4%
	Republican	Amata Coleman Radewagen	4,350	35.0%
	Independent	Rosie Fuala‘au Tago Lancaster	570	4.6%
Total votes			12,419	100.0%

American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 7, 2006^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (incumbent)	5,195	47.1%
	Republican	Amata Coleman Radewagen	4,493	40.7%
	Independent	Ae Ae Muavaefaatasi Jr.	1,345	12.2%
Total votes			11,033	100.0%

American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 2, 2004^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (incumbent)	6,656	54.9%
	Republican	Amata Coleman Radewagen	5,472	45.1%
Total votes			12,128	100.0%

American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 5, 2002 (Runoff November 19, 2002)^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (incumbent)	4,294	41.3%
	Independent	Fagafaga D. Langkilde	3,332	32.1%
	Republican	Amata Coleman Radewagen	2,767	26.6%
Total votes			10,393	100.0%
General election
	Democratic	Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (incumbent)	4,959	54.8%
	Independent	Fagafaga D. Langkilde	4,083	45.2%
Total votes			9,042	100.0%

American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 3, 1998^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (incumbent)	8,138	80.8%
	Independent	Seigafolava Robert Pene	1,273	12.7%
	Independent	Amata Coleman Radewagen	651	6.5%
Total votes			10,062	100.0%

American Samoa Delegate to the United States House of Representatives election, November 8, 1994^[28]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (incumbent)	6,517	63.5%
	Republican	Amata Coleman Radewagen	2,116	20.6%
	Independent	Fal‘ivae Apelu Galea‘i	1,299	12.7%
	Independent	Tuika Tuika	324	3.2%
Total votes			10,256	100.0%

Other activity

Radewagen has been involved in helping build democratic institutions internationally.^[7] As a trainer since 1992, she has participated in missions to Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, and Morocco for the International Republican Institute and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, among other activities.^[7][4] She began advocating on behalf of breast cancer awareness after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993.^[4]

She is a founding member of the American Samoa Society and a life member of the Capitol Hill Club. She has also been a member of organizations such as the Guam Society of America, Hawaii State Society, Women's Foreign Policy Group, and the Independent Women's Forum. She is a current member of the Pan Pacific and Southeast Asia Women's Association. In 2003, Radewagen became the first Pacific Islander chosen as “Outstanding Woman of the Year” by the National Association of Professional Asian American Women (NAPAW). In 2008, she received the International Leadership Foundation's Visionary Award. In 2013, she received both the Inspirational Speaker Award at the Samoan Athletes Heart of Champions Ceremony in La Mesa, CA, as well as the Trailblazer Award from the Republican National Convention. She is a current board member at the Field House 100 American Samoa.

See also

• List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress
• Women in the United States House of Representatives
• Republican Party of American Samoa

References

1. "Amata Catherine Coleman". Ancestry.com. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
2. Fili Sagapolutele (November 9, 2014). "1st Woman Elected as American Samoa Delegate". Associated Press. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
3. Gay, Roxane (2019). The Women of the 116th Congress: Portraits of Power. The New York Times. Page 28. Abrams. ISBN 9781683357810.
4. Kowalewski, Albin (2018). Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Congress, 1900-2017. Government Printing Office. Page 558. ISBN 9780160940408.
5. "Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen". University of Hawaii. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020.
6. Lansford, Tom (2019). Political Handbook of the World 2018-2019. CQ Press. Page 1730. ISBN 9781544327112.
7. "Biography". U.S. Representative Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
8. "Nora S. Coleman, 85". Saipan Tribune. May 15, 2015. Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
9. "RADEWAGEN, Amata Coleman". Office of the Historian. United States House of Representatives. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
10. Congress, Joint Committee on Printing (2016). Congressional Directory 2015-2016. United States Congress. Page 300. ISBN 9780160929960.
11. "RADEWAGEN, Aumua Amata Coleman". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
12. "National Committeewoman". gop.com. Republican National Committee. 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
13. "Amata Thanks American Samoa Voters". Radio New Zealand International. November 7, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
14. "Aumua Amata's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
15. Gizzi, John (February 9, 2015). "American Samoa's Radewagen Can Make a Difference in Committees". Marianas Variety. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
16. "Biography | US Representative Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen". Radewagen.house.gov. November 4, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
17. Cama, Timothy (November 5, 2014) – "American Samoa Delegate Loses Seat". The Hill. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
18. Official Results of the General Election 2014 Archived December 23, 2014, at the Wayback Machine American Samoa Election Office. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
19. Sagapolutele, Fiji (November 9, 2016). "Incumbent Aumua Amata heading back to Washington D.C." Samoa News. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
20. Election 2016 RESULTS_CONGRESS.pdf
21. "Biography". December 11, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
22. The Lugar Center - McCourt School Bipartisan Index (PDF), The Lugar Center, March 7, 2016, retrieved July 9, 2018
23. "The Lugar Center - McCourt School Bipartisan Index" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: The Lugar Center. April 24, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
24. "Aumua Amata tops bipartisan index". Pago Pago, American Samoa: Talanei. May 21, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
25. "Members". Congressional Western Caucus. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
26. "90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members". Citizen´s Climate Lobby. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
27. "Members of the Caucus on U.S. - Türkiye Relations & Turkish Americans". Turkish Coalition of America. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
28. "Election Statistics, 1920 to Present | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". History.house.gov. September 11, 2001. Retrieved January 21, 2020.

External links

• U.S. Representative Aumua Amata official U.S. House website
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Appearances on C-SPAN

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Eni Faleomavaega	Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from American Samoa's at-large congressional district 2015–present	Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Stacey Plaskett	United States delegates by seniority 4th	Succeeded by Jenniffer González