Takai, Mark, 1967-2016

Kyle Mark Takai (July 1, 1967 – July 20, 2016) was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the United States House of Representatives representing Hawaii's 1st congressional district from 2015 to 2016.

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, he received his diploma from Pearl City High School in Pearl City, Hawaii before earning a B.A. and M.P.H. from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He ran a small insurance brokerage and consulting firm with his wife from their home in Hawaii following graduation. Takai was first elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives in 1994, representing the 34th house district of Pearl City, near Pearl Harbor. He was reelected eight times before shifting to represent the 33rd house district of Aiea in 2012. Takai left his 20-year tenure as a state representative to become the Democratic nominee for the United States House of Representatives for Hawaii's 1st congressional district in the 2014 elections, after incumbent Colleen Hanabusa's decision to run for the United States Senate. He won the election with 51.2% of the vote, defeating Republican nominee Charles Djou.

Coming out of a tight race, Takai displayed optimism for bipartisanship in the weeks before the Opening Day of the 114th Congress (2015–2017). Once in Congress, he focused much of his attention on his committee assignments, Armed Services and Small Business. Takai prioritized small businesses, protecting the environment, reforming student loan debt, and improving veterans’ care. His first proposed legislation would have made it easier for Filipino veterans of World War II to reunite with their families living in the United States. In November 2015, Takai announced he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The following May, Takai shared that the cancer had spread despite treatment and that he had decided not to seek re-election. He died two months later at his home in Aiea, Hawaii.