Djou, Charles, 1970-

Charles Kong Djou (born August 9, 1970) is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the U.S. Representative for Hawaii's 1st congressional district from 2010 to 2011. He was the first Thai American of any party and the first Chinese American Republican to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Born in Los Angeles, Djou grew up in Hawaii after his father's employer transferred him there when Djou was three. He graduated from high school at Punahou School before earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Bachelor of Science in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, graduating magna cum laude. He earned his J.D. degree at the USC Gould School of Law at the University of Southern California. In 2001 Djou joined the United States Army Reserve and served in Afghanistan’s Kandahar Province with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, a light infantry division, from 2011 to 2012. Afterward, in his private career, Djou worked as an attorney for a small number of firms in Hawaii. In 1998 Djou waged an unsuccessful campaign for a seat in Hawaii’s state house of representatives. But two years later, he ran again and won, serving the Kahaluu and Kaneohe areas on Oahu’s east coast. After redistricting erased his seat, Djou ran successfully for a seat on the Honolulu city council.

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