Hawaii Dem. says he'll resign from Congress (Abercrombie)

[OhioChick]

Source: AP

Hawaii Dem. says he'll resign from Congress
(AP) – 1 hour ago

HONOLULU — U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii says he's resigning from Congress.

The Democrat, who has been planning to run for governor, says he'll announce soon when his resignation will be effective.

The congressman said in a statement Friday the decision was difficult. But he says concluded he should resign to "allow someone to be elected who will carry on the work of this office."

Abercrombie has represented Hawaii's 1st Congressional District continuously since 1991.



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iHeKCe68ytAfo-V0efUMMA-wzo0wD9CHAE580

[KamaAina]

1. He'd make a great governor

also, THE most dynamic political speaker I've heard in person.

Let the games begin:

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/bulletin/79077937.html

Abercrombie's resignation will mean that the current candidates for his seat to the 1st Congressional district of urban Honolulu will have to decide if they want to also run in the special election.

Senate President Colleen Hanabusa and former U.S. Rep. Ed Case, both Democrats, have announced for Abercrombie's seat. On the GOP side, Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou said he was also running.

Case, Hanabusa and Djou all say they will run in the special election which must be held within 60 days of the office being vacated.

"I am running. There are major issues to be determined and Hawaii needs a voice in Washington," Hanabusa said this morning.

Eurghh. Case (Steve of AOL fame's cousin) is a DINO par excellence. Djou is a sick-making repuke sort of along the lines of Eric Cantor. That leaves Hanabusa, once touted as a "tita (working-class local woman) with brains", but recently known for carrying water for repuke Gov. Lingle as Senate president.

edit: and in a special election, Case and Hanabusa could easily split the Dem vote, leaving a seat as solidly Dem as Bill Jefferson's to Djou. :scared:

[Bluenorthwest]

2. He sure can give a speech, that Abercrombie!

I heard him speak on behalf of Obama during the Primaries here in Oregon, and he was great, off the cuff and very energizing, and yes, dynamic. Hope he becomes governor!

[Mel4Mililani]

7. Case is the better Dem

KamaAina, you're not the first to call Ed Case a DINO, but you and the others are wrong. Nobody else in Hawaii has been such a consistent supporter on LGBTQ issues, or put themselves at such risk to help the LGBTQ community. Nobody else has been such a strong supporter on environmental issues. Nobody else has been such a consistent supporter of consumers, and nobody is stronger than Ed on choice. Ed got the DINO rep because he tried to bring down reckless spending under W, and because he tried to be thoughtful about Iraq and Afghanistan--just exactly what Obama did once he won the election.
It's time to drop the DINO line. Or maybe hang it where it belongs--like around the neck of the Senate President who carried water for Lingle.

[DC Surfer]

9. Case & HI-01

It is a little hard to say Case is a DINO. On social issues (environment, GLBT, energy, etc) he is liberal. He is, however, conservative on fiscal issues.

[Mel4Mililani]

10. Case is a liberal

A fair statement, DC Surfer. And, as a liberal, I think it's much more important to stand up for those who can't do it alone: LGBTQ and the environment being at the top of the list. I don't get those "progressives" who'd rather shovel more money at their powerful friends than make things genuinely better for people without power. (Colleen Hanabusa got famous in the 1990s for protecting the trustees of the Bishop Estate, who were supposed to be helping Hawaiians but instead were looting cash.) Ed Case is the kind of progressive I think we need more of--and Colleen Hanabusa is the kind of "progressive" we need less of.

[jwirr]

3. Good, we need good governors. Congress seems to be going no

where so it may come down to states to provide the survival tactics we need in the future. We have no better example of that then Minnesota. Palenty is screwing us left and right. We need someone who is working with us not against us and this is what Abercrombie will give Hawaii.

[husky92]

4. Sad News

Neil Abercrombie was one of my professors in college...a great guy. I've always admired him because he always seemed to stick up for the little guys. When he was teaching in Hawaii he was one of those people who might be a nuisance in some people's eyes, but always had good intentions in his heart on a lot of things. One of the early advocates of national healthcare, he advocated many progressive causes. He'll be missed in Congress. I hope he is successful in his run for Governor. Good luck, Neil!

[Goldstein1984]

5. The odor was getting to him

The stench of decay

[Hekate]

6. Best of luck to him! nt

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

8. now his state has to find $3 mill to hold spec election

since he's so determined to save Hawaii.

And the elections department is in the hole, already.

No election director (he just resigned), no voting machines (yay), making new election rules right now, and the state is grasping at straws.

If he gets elected, it will be in spite of his poor timing costing the state money it doesn't have.