Charles Kong Djou is an American politician who served as U.S. representative for Hawaii's 1st congressional district from 2010 to 2011. Djou won his House seat in a May 2010 special election. He was defeated in the November general election after the Democratic primary provided a single opponent. He ran for but did not win his old House seat again in 2012 and 2014. Djou, who previously served in the Hawaii House of Representatives and on the Honolulu City Council, was the first Thai American of any party and the first Chinese American Republican to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. In June 2016, he entered the race for mayor of Honolulu, which he lost, 48% to 52%, to incumbent Kirk Caldwell. As of 2023, Djou was the last Republican to have represented Hawaii in Congress. He left the Republican Party in 2018 and in 2020 endorsed Joe Biden for president. After Biden won the presidency, he appointed Djou to be Secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Charles Djou
Djou in 2002 as the GOP State House Floor Leader
Djou in 2004
Rep.Charles K. Djou (R-Hawaii), with his wife and daughters, being sworn in by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Hawaii's 1st congressional district
Hawaii's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The district is entirely on the island of Oahu, encompassing the urban areas of the City and County of Honolulu, a consolidated city-county that includes Oahu's central plains and southern shores, including the towns of Aiea, Mililani, Pearl City, Waipahu, and Waimalu. The district is smaller and more densely populated than the 2nd congressional district. It is represented by Democrat Ed Case.
Image: Cecil Heftel
Image: Neilabercrombie
Image: Pat Saiki
Image: Neil Abercrombie, 111th Pictorial photo