I guess he’s learned how to quit Ted Stevens:
Hawaii Democrat Daniel K. Inouye , the third longest-serving U.S. Senate incumbent, has affirmed his plans to run for re-election in 2010, rebuffing speculation that he might not choose to run for a ninth term at age 86.
“Make no mistake, I am a candidate for re-election in 2010. I am calling upon my friends and supporters to once again stand with me,” Inouye said in a statement provided to CQ Politics. “I am taking nothing for granted in what I expect for be an exciting and vigorous campaign. I am looking forward to it.”
Even though I’m not personally too fond of Inouye, this is probably for the best, since I’m a lot less fond of one of his would-be successors, former Rep. Ed Case. Case said he backs Inouye’s re-election, so we won’t be seeing him in the Senate any time soon.
Meanwhile, Gov. Linda Lingle (R) is term-limited, and it’s possible she’ll try running against Inouye. The coming vacancy in the statehouse might also prompt a round of musical chairs. In the simplest scenario, Case could run for governor himself. Alternately, if Reps. Mazie Hirono (HI-02) and/or Neil Abercrombie run for governor, Case might run for either of those two House seats. No matter what, decisions will have to be made soon.
So let me ask this: If Hirono or Abercrombie decide to try moving up, who do you like as replacements? I’d want to see State Sen. Colleen Hanabusa (who very narrowly lost the primary to Hirono in 2006) give it another shot if Hirono goes for HI-Gov. Your thoughts?
…Any information about some of the others who ran in the ’06 primary. I understand that Matt Matsunaga is kind of a deep Hawaii politics insider but any thoughts on Clayton Hee, Brian Schulz, or Gary Hooser who were the other 5 who did reasonably well in that crowded primary. I understand that Hee is something of a fighter and Schulz was considered a good progressive at the time, but any thoughts on a state that I know precious little about compared to, say, California.
One step at a time. I don’t think Lingle runs against Inouye. Depending on who wins the GOP primary she could be a very attractive VP pick or if Akaka retires in 2012 she could run for that seat. Either way I don’t think she tarnishes what could be a very bright political future to run against a guy who I believe has approval ratings in the 70’s.
I don’t think Abercrombie runs for Governor seeing as how he’ll be 72 in 2010. Hirono probably will and will probably win. Hanabusa would seem like a solid replacement for her.
stays where she is and Hanabusa runs for Governor.
If so, they’ll have to pry his cold, dead hands off this seat, and I doubt many Hawai’ians will be eager to sacrifice all that clout.
And what’s so bad about Case, again? Is he just a DINO?
For HI-02 if Mazie Hirono runs for Governor (and wins this time). And please, PLEASE, someone tell Ed Case to go away already! He’s so lame, he’s actually shopping around for something, ANYTHING to run for! If he runs against Hirono for Governor or Hanabusa for House in the primary, I hope she beats his @ss all the way back to the mainland. 😉
Runs for governor. She’s one of my favorite politicians in the country and would make a awesome president even if that’s probably not happening ever.
Also, if she vacates her seat I hope 2006 candidate and Hawaii Democratic Party Chair Brian Schatz gives it another go. Since losing he worked hard to Hirono in the GE, worked for Obama’s Hawaii campaign and was elected chair of the party. If he wants to stay where he is Hanabusa would be a fine choice and if Hirono doesn’t run for governor Hanabusa would be my choice for that office.
Was the senate race between Dan Akaka and Pat Saiki to complete the term after Spark Matsunaga died. The Republicans promised a knock-down drag out that never happened.
In the late 90s, Democrats had been holding power since the 60s in an unbroken string of governors and state legislative majorities. Scandals and corruption had become common as they tend to do in one-party states. We had an uninspiring governor, and Hawaii was mired in a recession when the rest of the country was doing fantastic. The popular, moderate mayor Linda Lingle of Maui ran for governor and almost won in 1998. As unpopular governor Ben Cayeton retired in 2002, Lingle ran again against his Lt. Gov., Mazie Hirono, and narrowly won after a bitter primary in which Ed Case unfairly attacked Hirono as part of the corrupt old guard and due to her connection to Cayetano. Nationally, Republicans were at the peak of their power at this time, and Hawaii Republicans were optimistic they could actually take control of the Hawaii state House next cycle.
What happened next was over the next three cycles they lost 3/4 of their state legislative seats and have been reduced to only 10% of the legislature. They have been completely routed on the neighbor islands and now have nobody outside of Oahu. The mayoral elections are non-partisan, but only feature Democrats against other Democrats. They couldn’t compete for an open congressional seat. They stand a very good chance of losing the governorship despite Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona’s constant facetime with Lingle. And this was all during the time when everyone expected them to expand on their power.
I am confident we will hold both of our Senate seats upon retirements and/or deaths.