Quick Facts
Biography
Nua Mailo Saoluaga (born ?) is an American Samoan politician. He served as the Speaker of the American Samoa House of Representatives from 1997 until 2002.
Saoluaga was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa in the 2008 gubernatorial elections held on November 4, 2008. He was the running mate of Utu Abe Malae.
Biography
Early life
Saoluaga was born and raised in Manu'a. He attended elementary school and high school in American Samoa.
He first received an Associate of Arts degree from Mari Costa Junior College in Oceanside, California, in 1971. Saoluaga further continued his education, obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree in criminology and law enforcement in 1974 from California State University, Long Beach.
Saoluaga worked in several American Samoan government departments and agencies between 1975 and 1980.
Political career
Saoluaga was first elected to the American Samoa House of Representatives in 1981. He would be elected to represent Manu'a District Number One in the House for much of the next two decades.
He briefly left the House, but was re-elected again in 1985 and served continuously in that office until 2002. Saoluaga served as the Speaker of the House from 1997 until 2002 during his tenure in office. He left office in 2002, but returned again to the American Samoa Fono from 2005 until 2006.
2008 Lt. Governor candidacy
Utu Abe Malae, the former head of the Development Bank of American Samoa and gubernatorial candidate, chose Saoluaga as his running mate for Lieutenant Governor in the 2008 election for Governor of American Samoa. Malae and Saoluaga formally announced their candidacy for governor and lt. governor at the Maliu Mai Beach Resort on June 10, 2008. Malae cited Saoluaga's legislative career, which complimented his management experience, as the reason that the two decided to run as a team.
Malae and Saoluaga cited education and healthcare as their top priorities in their campaign. Malae and Saoluaga lost to Governor Tulafono in a gubernatorial runoff election held on November 18, 2008.