Hawaii Heating Up

Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI-1)

When Gov. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) appointed Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz (D) to replace the late Sen. Daniel Inouye (D), he ignited a budding Democratic Party firestorm. Sen. Inouye, before his death, communicated to the governor that his favored choice for a successor was Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI-1). Hanabusa, reportedly miffed for being passed over despite the esteemed Senator’s endorsement, is already beginning to rattle her political saber.

In an interview with KHON-TV in Honolulu, the congresswoman confirmed that she is considering a race against both Schatz and Abercrombie as well as running for re-election. In response to a direct question about her future political plans, Hanabusa confirmed that “… they will all be on the

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Hawaii Primary Battles?

Hawaii Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz (D)

Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s appointment of Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz to replace the late Sen. Daniel Inouye may have ignited an internal Democratic Party firestorm. As was well-reported, Sen. Inouye, soon before his death, had communicated his desire to the governor and his staff of having Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI-1) replace him.

Under Hawaii succession law, it was up to the Democratic Party — since the vacating federal official was a member of that particular political organization – to convene and provide the governor the names of three individuals, one of which he would be compelled to choose. (The appointee serves until the next regular election – the November 2014 general, in this instance. Since Inouye was re-elected to a full six-year term in 2010, Schatz will now

Hanabusa Makes it Official

A day after it was publicly released that the late Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) made clear his wish for Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI-1) to succeed him, the first-term congresswoman immediately qualified herself for the appointment. In a letter to the Hawaii Democratic Party leadership, Hanabusa officially asked to be included on the list of recommended potential senatorial replacement candidates.

Under Hawaii election law, a vacancy in a US Senate post must be filled by a member of the vacating senator’s party. In this case, the Hawaii Democratic Party under state Chairman Dante Keala Carpenter, must provide Gov. Neil Abercrombie (D) the names of three Senate replacement candidates, of which he must choose one to serve until the 2014 special election, which will be held concurrently with the regular election calendar. It is widely believed that Abercrombie will now appoint Hanabusa, thus honoring the late senator’s wish, and will do so before the Senate comes to order on Jan. 3. There is some speculation that the Party will only submit Hanabusa’s name to Gov. Abercrombie, if such a move is legally allowable.

Special Election Highlights

The late Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii)

Much political news and speculation continues to unfold in places where Senate replacement appointments and congressional special elections will soon occur. With a South Carolina Senate appointment just being made that will lead to a congressional special election, another state with a new vacancy, Hawaii, may be following a similar path. Finally, a new development in the IL-2 House special could have a major impact upon that particular election.

Hawaii

Sen. Daniel Inouye’s (D-Hawaii) death on Monday is leading to conjecture about who will be named as the 50-year senatorial leader’s replacement, but the late lawmaker may already have cleared a path for one of his colleagues.

In a letter to Gov. Neil Abercrombie (D) and