Akaka wins Senate primary in Hawaii

[madokie]

By MARK NIESSE, Associated Press Writer

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060924/ap_on_el_se/hawaii_senate

HONOLULU - Liberal incumbent Sen. Daniel Akaka (news, bio, voting record) beat back a challenge from upstart Rep. Ed Case (news, bio, voting record) in Hawaii's Democratic primary. Case conceded the race just before midnight Saturday, when returns showed he trailed 55 percent to 45 percent with all but one precinct reporting. He trailed in every county, including those in his own 2nd District.

Whom Akaka faces in the general election remained a mystery after former Vietnam prisoner of war Jerry Coffee, who pulled out of the race because of health reasons, won the GOP nomination. Republicans have three days to name a replacement candidate.

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Hawaii uses both hand ballots and voting machines, and results from outlying islands are transmitted by computer modem into the election system. Results are issued only in hand-printed reports that are also posted on a state Web site.

Elections officials took taxies to pick up ballot boxes on the main island of Oahu, which was the slowest to report returns.