Biography
Born in Guam, Ada attended the College of Guam for two years before entering the University of Portland, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in corporate finance in 1968. He served as the Republican Governor of Guam from 1987 until 1995. His running mate and Lt. Governor was former senator Frank Blas.
Ada served numerous terms in the Guam Legislature, becoming the first Republican speaker of the Legislature when the Republicans captured control of the body from the Democratic Party. Ada was elected Lt. Governor of Guam with running mate Paul McDonald Calvo in 1978, but declined the opportunity to serve as Calvo's running mate for re-election in 1982 and instead returned to the Legislature. Calvo lost the subsequent election to Ricky Bordallo. Ada is the only Guam political leader to serve as Speaker, Lt. Governor and Governor. He stewarded Guam's economic expansion and pushed, successfully, for return of land held by the US military. He was the first governor of Guam to be reelected to a consecutive term in office, after winning reelection in 1990.
When his second term was over, he once again ran for Governor in 1998, but was defeated by incumbent Democratic governor Carl T.C. Gutierrez in a contentious race ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. His running mate was then-Senator Felix Camacho, Camacho ran successfully for Governor in 2002 and served two terms. In 2000, Ada ran for senator once more and was elected, joining the Republican majority in the Legislature. In 2002, he ran for Congressional delegate against Democrat Madeleine Bordallo, but lost. Ada has three children.
Read more about this topic: Joseph Franklin Ada
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