It's a long commute

I don't blame him for not wanting to be in Congress anymore. But it's surprising, because we finally have a Dem President and Dem Congress, this is the moment long-time Congress Dems have been waiting for.

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by: duffman @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 13:41:20 PM CST

Alternatively

Maybe Abercrombie feels that Washington is finally in good hands, and feels that he can best use his talents closer to home. And when you're from Hawaii, God... I can't blame you for wanting to move back there full-time.

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by: James L. @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 14:26:56 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I'd love to live in Hawaii too.

Check out the 2010 California races and help us take back Red California!

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by: californianintexas @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 15:29:36 PM CST

[ Parent ]

With That Kind Of Weather

It's amazing anybody would want to run for Congress from Hawaii and be forced to live in Washington for half a year or more.

My Can Of Contemplation is now open to all for perusal.

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by: Don't Tase Me, Bro! @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 15:38:06 PM CST

[ Parent ]

He'll be 72 next year

He could be one in 435 in icky DC, or top dog in Hawaii.

I don't see there being any comparison.  It's the end of his career, so why not go out on top, literally.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/...

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by: tommypaine @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 15:38:49 PM CST

Abercrombie

will be a strong candidate. If he can get Hannabusa on as LG he should be able to handle Hanneman, they share the same base. Even better perhaps Hanneman can be convinced to run for Abercrombie's house seat.

He's old, but in extremely good shape. He can, or could at least, weightlift 200 pounds plus his age, for example when he was 67 he benched 267 pounds. He stays fit, is mentally sharp and a good speaker from what I've seen of him. Attacks that he's too old won't stick, and the washington thing is double edged. He may not be close to Haiwai politics, but he has experience and connections in washington that will be used to helpthe state.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus

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by: ArkDem the Ragin Cajin @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 16:52:52 PM CST

Wow

I really didn't think he was going to do it.  This is actually quite a surprise to me.  He may just clear the field, and will easily beat Duke Aiona (R) in the fall.

As far as replacing him in Congress...Caldwell accidentally resigned when he tried to run for an open city council seat but missed the deadline, he's desperate to get back in to politics.  Hannemann is in the middle of a term but has had federal ambitions for a while.  Colleen Hanabusa represents an area in HI-02 (in fact she ran for it when Rep. Case retired in 2006), so it would seem odd for her to try to force her way into HI-01.  Brian Schatz was just chosen as Hawaii Democratic party chair and I think he's happy where he is.

I'm sure some other city council members will try for it, perhaps Nestor Garcia and freshly elected Duke Bainum.  The seat is safe though.  Bush's performance was a kind of high water mark, the district is unwinnable by a Republican who isn't named Lingle.

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by: skaje @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 17:52:15 PM CST

Hawaiian representation

I hope Inouye and Akaka dont have to leave the Senate anytime soon, for the sake of not just them and their families (since im sure theyd only leave if they die or are extremely ill) but HI, too. Because then Mazie Hirono would be the most senior federal representative and she was just elected in 2006. And theres always the chance Inouye retires in 2010 or Akaka in 2012 and she runs for their seat.

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 18:39:10 PM CST

[ Parent ]

inouye

said he was running a little while back, and Lingle might just run for HA-01 and bide her time for an opening in an open seat. Hanabusa might get on as Abercrombie's LG.

Call no man happy until he is dead-Aeschylus

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by: ArkDem the Ragin Cajin @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 19:18:54 PM CST

[ Parent ]