title: Gaoteote Palaie Tofau
text: # Gaoteote Palaie Tofau
  
  Gaoteote Palaie Tofau is an American Samoan politician serving as a member and president of the American Samoa Senate. Tofau first took office in January 2004 after serving as a member of the American Samoa House of Representatives.
  
  ## Early life
  
  Tofau was raised in Vatia, American Samoa. His father served as a member of the American Samoa Senate. After graduating from high school, Tofau attended University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa on a full scholarship sponsored by the Government of American Samoa.
  
  ## Career
  
  Tofau served as a career member of the United States Army, retiring after 22 years as a Command Sergeant Major. Tofau eventually returned to American Samoa to care for his father. He worked at Tafuna High School in the ROTC program. In 1998, he was elected to the American Samoa House of Representatives, serving until 2002. From 2002 to 2004, he served as a special assistant to the Commissioner of Public Safety. In 2005, Tofau was elected to the American Samoa Senate. He was selected to serve as president of the senate in 2009.
  
  In February 2020, Tofau announced his candidacy for governor in the 2020 American Samoa gubernatorial election. Tofau's running mate will be Faiivae Iuli Alex Godinet, a fellow member of the American Samoa Senate and president of the Football Federation American Samoa.
  
  ## Personal life
  
  Tofau and his wife, Betty Fritz, have six children and 15 grandchildren. He is a member of the Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa. One of Tofau's grandsons, Palaie Gaoteote IV, is an NCAA Division I college football player for the USC Trojans.
  
  