| Gaoteote Palaie Tofau | |
| Office: | President of the American Samoa Senate |
| Term Start: | January 2009 |
| Term End: | January 8, 2021 |
| Predecessor: | Lutu Moli |
| Successor: | Tuaolo Fruean |
| Office1: | Member of the American Samoa Senate from the 4th district |
| Term Start1: | January 2004 |
| Office2: | Member of the American Samoa House of Representatives |
| Term Start2: | 1998 |
| Term End2: | 2002 |
| Spouse: | Betty Fritz |
| Children: | 6 |
| Education: | University of Hawaii, Manoa |
| Allegiance: |  United States |
| Rank: | Command Sergeant Major |
Gaoteote Palaie Tofau is an American Samoan politician serving as a member and president of the American Samoa Senate.[1] [2] Tofau first took office in January 2004 after serving as a member of the American Samoa House of Representatives.[3]
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.[4]
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.[5] [6]
Tofau and his wife, Betty Fritz, have six children and 15 grandchildren. He is a member of the Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa.[7] One of Tofau's grandsons, Palaie Gaoteote IV, is an NCAA Division I college football player for the USC Trojans.[8] [9]