Hawaii's 1st congressional district special election, 2010
Encyclopedia
The 2010 special election for the 1st congressional district of Hawaii was a special election
to the United States House of Representatives
that took place to fill the vacancy caused by Representative Neil Abercrombie
's resignation on February 28, 2010 to focus on his campaign for Governor of Hawaii
in the 2010 gubernatorial election
. Abercrombie planned to not run for re-election in 2010, and many of the candidates that were running for his open seat transferred to the special election. The election was held on May 22, 2010 and Republican Charles Djou
won, defeating five Democrats, four fellow Republicans, and four Independent candidates.
The election was conducted as a Vote-By-Mail election. All registered voters as of the voter registration deadline were automatically mailed a packet containing the Vote-By-Mail ballot and return envelopes. No polling places were open on May 22, 2010. Ballots were mailed approximately 20 days prior to the election. Voted ballots had to be received by the State of Hawaii Office of Elections no later than 6:00 p.m., May 22, 2010 in the return envelopes provided.
Any voter requiring the use of an accessible voting machine could do so at the Office of the City Clerk, Honolulu Hale
, 530 S. King St. from Monday, May 10, 2010 to Thursday, May 20, 2010, excluding Sundays and holidays between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Walk-in voting was open on Saturdays during this period.
(List of candidates appearing on the May 22, 2010 State of Hawaii, U.S. Representative District 1 Special Vacancy Election ballot.)
(RNC) indicated it may directly support Djou with the hope of winning a congressional seat in a historically Democratic state; RNC political director Gentry Collins referred to Scott Brown
's victory in a Massachusetts special election for the U.S. Senate in stating: "I think for us to win that seat will send a signal that what happened in Massachusetts is not an isolated event."
Both Case and Hanabusa represented different wings of the party, Case being more of a blue-dog moderate Democrat, while Hanabusa is preferred by the liberal wing. Hanabusa secured the endorsement of EMILY's List
, the local party establishment, and local labor unions. Case was at odds with the party establishment over his primary challenge to U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka
in 2006 when he was still Representative of the 2nd district., although Case claimed that any bad blood with the Democratic electorate over the primary challenge was gone, according to his internal polling. Case also criticized Hanabusa for keeping her post as president of the State Senate while attempting to campaign, saying: "It is inconsistent for her to want to run the Senate in a time of crisis for our state and want to run a full-fledged congressional campaign." The national Democratic Party establishment and the Obama administration signaled Case was their pick, believing him more electable than Hanabusa. Case received support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee while Hanabusa said she hadn't spoken to them since the previous year.
Both Case and Hanabusa proposed that the other drop out for the sake of party unity. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
(DCCC) dispatched an aide to the state in the hopes of at least ensuring no other Democrats enter the race. It was unlikely either Democrat would drop out; both represented different views and both already faced off in a 2002 special election for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district, which Case won. The DCCC chairman Congressman Chris Van Hollen
said he was counting on Abercrombie to help keep the seat Democratic; indicating that endorsements would be used to show which Democrat was preferred by the national party. On May 10, 2010, the DCCC said it would not spend any further resources on the race, preferring to save those resources for the November election.
Debates
(Hawaii 1st District House Special Election Debate, C-SPAN
, May 7, 2010
'Official candidates sites
Special elections to the 111th United States Congress
- Senate :There were five special elections to the United States Senate; however, all but one will take place on the same date as the 2010 general election.- Massachusetts :...
to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
that took place to fill the vacancy caused by Representative Neil Abercrombie
Neil Abercrombie
Neil Abercrombie is the 7th and current Governor of Hawaii. He was the Democratic U.S. Representative of the First Congressional District of Hawaii which comprises urban Honolulu. He served in Congress from 1986 to 1987 and from 1991 to 2010 when he resigned to successfully run for governor...
's resignation on February 28, 2010 to focus on his campaign for Governor of Hawaii
Governor of Hawaii
The Governor of Hawaii is the chief executive of the state of Hawaii and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 1 through 6. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state...
in the 2010 gubernatorial election
Hawaii gubernatorial election, 2010
The Hawaii gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on November 2, 2010 to determine the next Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii. The winning candidates will serve a four-year term from 2010 to 2014. Incumbent Republican Governor Linda Lingle was term-limited in 2010 and not eligible to run...
. Abercrombie planned to not run for re-election in 2010, and many of the candidates that were running for his open seat transferred to the special election. The election was held on May 22, 2010 and Republican Charles Djou
Charles Djou
Charles Kong Djou is the former U.S. Representative for Hawaii's 1st congressional district...
won, defeating five Democrats, four fellow Republicans, and four Independent candidates.
Special election rules
The election was held without a primary, meaning all candidates from all parties ran against one another and the person with the most votes (even if only a plurality) won; there was no runoff. With three top-tier candidates running, two Democrats and one Republican, it was considered likely that the two Democrats would split the vote leading to a Republican victory.The election was conducted as a Vote-By-Mail election. All registered voters as of the voter registration deadline were automatically mailed a packet containing the Vote-By-Mail ballot and return envelopes. No polling places were open on May 22, 2010. Ballots were mailed approximately 20 days prior to the election. Voted ballots had to be received by the State of Hawaii Office of Elections no later than 6:00 p.m., May 22, 2010 in the return envelopes provided.
Any voter requiring the use of an accessible voting machine could do so at the Office of the City Clerk, Honolulu Hale
Honolulu Hale
Honolulu Hale , located on 530 South King Street in downtown Honolulu in the City & County of Honolulu, Hawaii, is the official seat of government of the city and county, site of the chambers of the Mayor of Honolulu and the Honolulu City Council.In the Hawaiian language, hale means house or building...
, 530 S. King St. from Monday, May 10, 2010 to Thursday, May 20, 2010, excluding Sundays and holidays between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Walk-in voting was open on Saturdays during this period.
No party affiliation
- Jim Brewer
- Karl F. Moseley
- Kalaeloa Strode
- Steve Tataii
(List of candidates appearing on the May 22, 2010 State of Hawaii, U.S. Representative District 1 Special Vacancy Election ballot.)
Campaign
Democratic leaders conceded that the winner-take-all primary favored the one lone Republican in the race. The Republican National CommitteeRepublican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
(RNC) indicated it may directly support Djou with the hope of winning a congressional seat in a historically Democratic state; RNC political director Gentry Collins referred to Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
's victory in a Massachusetts special election for the U.S. Senate in stating: "I think for us to win that seat will send a signal that what happened in Massachusetts is not an isolated event."
Both Case and Hanabusa represented different wings of the party, Case being more of a blue-dog moderate Democrat, while Hanabusa is preferred by the liberal wing. Hanabusa secured the endorsement of EMILY's List
EMILY's List
EMILY's List is a political action committee in the United States that aims to help elect female candidates to office. It was founded by Ellen Malcolm in 1984....
, the local party establishment, and local labor unions. Case was at odds with the party establishment over his primary challenge to U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka
Daniel Akaka
Daniel Kahikina Akaka is the junior U.S. Senator from Hawaii and a member of the Democratic Party. He is the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry and is currently the only member of the Senate who has Chinese ancestry....
in 2006 when he was still Representative of the 2nd district., although Case claimed that any bad blood with the Democratic electorate over the primary challenge was gone, according to his internal polling. Case also criticized Hanabusa for keeping her post as president of the State Senate while attempting to campaign, saying: "It is inconsistent for her to want to run the Senate in a time of crisis for our state and want to run a full-fledged congressional campaign." The national Democratic Party establishment and the Obama administration signaled Case was their pick, believing him more electable than Hanabusa. Case received support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee while Hanabusa said she hadn't spoken to them since the previous year.
Both Case and Hanabusa proposed that the other drop out for the sake of party unity. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats to that body. They play a critical role in recruiting candidates, raising funds, and organizing races in districts that are expected to yield...
(DCCC) dispatched an aide to the state in the hopes of at least ensuring no other Democrats enter the race. It was unlikely either Democrat would drop out; both represented different views and both already faced off in a 2002 special election for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district, which Case won. The DCCC chairman Congressman Chris Van Hollen
Chris Van Hollen
Christopher "Chris" Van Hollen, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
said he was counting on Abercrombie to help keep the seat Democratic; indicating that endorsements would be used to show which Democrat was preferred by the national party. On May 10, 2010, the DCCC said it would not spend any further resources on the race, preferring to save those resources for the November election.
Case
- The Honolulu Advertiser
- Honolulu Star Bulletin
- Sierra ClubSierra ClubThe Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
Hawai'i - Ocean ChampionsOcean ChampionsOcean Champions, a 501 environmental organization in the United States with a connected political action committee , is the first national organization of its kind focused solely on oceans and ocean wildlife....
Djou
- Governor Tim PawlentyTim PawlentyTimothy James "Tim" Pawlenty , also known affectionately among supporters as T-Paw, is an American politician who served as the 39th Governor of Minnesota . He was a Republican candidate for President of the United States in the 2012 election from May to August 2011...
of Minnesota - Former Governor and GOP Presidential Candidate Mitt RomneyMitt RomneyWillard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
of Massachusetts - GOProudGOProudGOProud is an American tax exempt 527 organization representing conservative gays, lesbians, transgendered people, and their allies. GOProud advocates for small government conservatism at the level of federal public policy. GOProud was founded by Christopher R...
Hanabusa
- U.S. Senator Daniel InouyeDaniel InouyeDaniel Ken "Dan" Inouye is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in American history. Inouye is the chairman of the United States Senate...
of Hawaii - U.S. Senator Daniel AkakaDaniel AkakaDaniel Kahikina Akaka is the junior U.S. Senator from Hawaii and a member of the Democratic Party. He is the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry and is currently the only member of the Senate who has Chinese ancestry....
of Hawaii - U.S. Congressman Mike HondaMike HondaMichael Makoto "Mike" Honda is an American Democratic Party politician. He currently serves as the U.S. Representative for , encompassing western San Jose and Silicon Valley...
of California - U.S. Congressman Lynn WoolseyLynn WoolseyLynn C. Woolsey is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes all of Marin County and most of Sonoma County. She is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and its co-chair...
of California - U.S. Delegate Madeleine BordalloMadeleine BordalloMadeleine Mary Zeien Bordallo is the Delegate from Guam to the United States House of Representatives.She was the first woman ever to serve as Guam's Delegate, Guam's first female Lieutenant Governor , Guam's first female candidate for Governor , and the first Democratic woman elected to the...
of Guam - EMILY's ListEMILY's ListEMILY's List is a political action committee in the United States that aims to help elect female candidates to office. It was founded by Ellen Malcolm in 1984....
- Sierra ClubSierra ClubThe Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
Hawai'i
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Ed Case (D) | Charles Djou (R) | Colleen Hanabusa (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merriman River Group | May 6-7, 2010 | 1,081 | ±3.0 | 25.5% | 39.5% | 25.5% | – | 10% |
| Harstad Strategic Research | April 24–26, 2010 | 506 | – | 34% | 36% | 20% | – | – |
| Honolulu Advertiser | April 23–28, 2010 | 349 | ±5.2% | 28% | 36% | 22% | – | 13% |
| Daily Kos/Research 2000 | April 11–14, 2010 | 500 | ±4.5% | 29% | 32% | 28% | 4% | 7% |
| DCCC internal poll | April, 2010 | n/a | n/a | 32% | 32% | 27% | – | 9% |
| Honolulu Star-Bulletin/Mason-Dixon | January 8–12, 2010 | 403 | ±5% | 37% | 17% | 25% | – | 21% |
Results
External links
- State of Hawaii Office of Elections website
- Official results from State of Hawaii Office of Elections website
Debates
(Hawaii 1st District House Special Election Debate, C-SPAN
C-SPAN
C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
, May 7, 2010
'Official candidates sites