John Burns elected governor

John Burns won his second campaign for state governor after being defeated in 1959 by incumbent William Quinn. Burns led the movement that switched island political power from the Republican to the Democratic Party, and he won the governorship with strong support from unions and Japanese-American veterans of World War II. Burns' earlier career had been in the Honolulu Police Department and O'ahu Civil Defense and he'd also worked in real estate and retail business. He served as Hawaii's delegate to Congress in 1957-59, devising a legislative strategy for achieving statehood that included supporting Alaska's bid for statehood to cement Hawaii's claims for admission. Burns served three terms as governor of Hawai'i, retiring in 1974.

See also: Biography of John Anthony Burns

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