Mike Gabbard
Mike Gabbard | |
|---|---|
Gabbard in 2018 | |
| Member of the Hawaii Senate | |
| Assumed office November 7, 2006 | |
| Preceded by | Brian Kanno |
| Constituency | 19th district (2007–2012) 20th district (2012–2022) 21st district (2022–present) |
| Member of the Honolulu City Council from the 1st district | |
| In office 2002–2004 | |
| Preceded by | Rene Mansho |
| Succeeded by | Todd Kala Apo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gerald Michael Gabbard January 15, 1948 Fagatogo, American Samoa |
| Political party | Democratic (2007–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent (1966–2004) Republican (2004–2007) |
| Spouse |
Carol Porter (m. 1968) |
| Children | 5, including Tulsi |
| Relatives | Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard |
| Education | |
| Website | Official website |
Gerald Michael Gabbard (born January 15, 1948) is an American politician who is the Hawaii State Senator for District 21 from the Democratic Party, since 2006. Gabbard rose to prominence for efforts to prevent same-sex marriage in Hawaii by passing a 1998 amendment to the Constitution of Hawaii to give the state legislature "the power to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples" under the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Gabbard, who was born in American Samoa, is the first person of Samoan descent to serve in the Hawaii Senate.
His daughter, Tulsi Gabbard, was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Hawaii's second congressional district from 2013 to 2021 and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. She later switched parties and became the Director of National Intelligence during President Donald Trump’s second term in 2025.