Posted on 12/12/2009 5:29:39 AM PST by Pontiac
The scramble is on to find his replacement as the U.S. representative announces he will to run for governor full time
U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie dropped an early Christmas bombshell on Hawaii: He is leaving Congress to fire up his campaign for governor full time.
In a message to supporters on the Internet yesterday, Abercrombie said he was returning to Hawaii to campaign and will resign from Congress. Details will come during a news conference set for 11 a.m. tomorrow, he said.
The longtime Hawaii political leader said the announcement makes him "all in for Hawaii."
"We will present ambitious, achievable plans for job creation, economic recovery, educational reform, food and energy independence, public health and safety, and government efficiency," Abercrombie said.
Abercrombie's resignation may spark special election
Neil Abercrombie resigns after nearly 20 years on the U.S. House of Representatives.
Abercrombie had to divide his time between Washington and Honolulu with weekend trips home to campaign taking up to 12 hours in the air each way.
Leaving his office of nearly 20 years gives him more time to campaign but immediately opens the door for criticism.
U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye was first to rebuke Abercrombie, saying Hawaii was losing valuable political clout.
"It leaves us a vote shy in the House at a time when major policy changes like health care reform, a war spending measure, the Akaka Bill and others are shaping up for debate and passage," Inouye said in an e-mail.
Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, Abercrombie's expected opponent in the 2010 Democratic primary, agreed.
"He is leaving the state in a lurch. He has become a very influential member of Congress. I think he put a lot of people in a difficult situation, including the city," Hannemann said yesterday during an interview.
Abercrombie supporters, however, see the move as helping the campaign.
"It will give him the opportunity to express some leadership close up," said John Radcliffe, a lobbyist, political adviser and close friend of Abercrombie.
"It will also give him the chance to be on the same ground as the mayor. It makes it a level playing field," Radcliffe said, adding that it could force voters to wonder whether Hannemann was serious about a run for governor.
Hannemann said yesterday that Abercrombie will not influence his own plans.
"I am doing the people's business, not my own political business. I made it clear in 2008 that if I won, I wanted to be free to explore other options," Hannemann said.
Both men are actively fundraising. Hannemann describes his campaign as "exploratory," although he had to formally file with the Campaign Spending Commission before he could raise money.
On Dec. 3, Hannemann held a $1,000-a-plate fundraiser at the Regency Club in Los Angeles. Abercrombie plans a $500-a-ticket event Monday in Honolulu. University of Hawaii political scientist Neal Milner says Abercrombie's move should help him both in fundraising and also by putting more pressure on Hannemann.
"This way, he can do more of what he does well, which is face-to-face campaigning. He can raise money better, and he can push the Democratic stalwarts harder to vote for him," Milner said.
"This move also forces Mufi's hand. It will be harder for him to say he is not a candidate for governor," Milner said.
The primary Republican candidate for governor, Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, said Abercrombie "has been a part of Washington politics for a very long time and has grown out of touch with our residents."
The Aiona campaign put out a statement saying Abercrombie "could use some time in Hawaii to reacquaint himself with the issues facing our families and distance himself from his failed policies in Washington."
"It leaves us a vote shy in the House at a time when major policy changes like health care reform, a war spending measure, the Akaka Bill and others are shaping up for debate and passage," Inouye said in an e-mail.
Well at least this is good news.
Perhaps a Freeper from Hawaii can tell us how a replacement Representative is selected there. I doubt that there is much chance of a Republican being chosen but at least the new Rep from Hawaii will not be a senior member with clout.
sworn in for a second term as Governor on December 4, 2006. Lingle holds a number of distinctions: first Republican elected governor of Hawaii since the departure of William F. Quinn in 1962
so she is a Republican and can most likely appoint a republican....
There will be an election. No member of the US House can be appointed.
Article I, Section 2, Clause 4: When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.
http://www.house.gov/house/Constitution/Constitution.html
In other words, my pension is juicy, it will get really ugly real soon in DC, so let my find a local gig in the sun. My question is what if any other stuff is going on to take heat away from him by not being in DC, is this guy another “Jefferson” w/ a freezer with tinfoil?
A lot of Washington pols are electing to go home to their districts lately...the number of retirements is in the dozens.
What is suddenly so un-appealing about the nation’s capitol? Perhaps it is the massive Imperial Executive Branch being assembled by the accolytes of Chicago politics?
Thanks
I forgot about that.
the governor of Hawaii will be in a powerful position to help his friend barry soetero with certain..... “public” records
won’t he
Or, perhaps he’s sensing a Tenth Ammendment revolt in his state, and wants to be on his side of the ocean when it happens.
Just a guess
Nancy and Harry
Can Finch be far behind?
Interesting how they bury the fact that Abercrombie is a Dem.
Heck. I thought he was getting out of Dodge because his buddy’s kid, BO Jr., was such an embarrassment. He’s going to run for Gov. Is Linda Lingle running again?
Well Linda Lingle is a woman and she is a Republican, but she does seem to be sort of friendly with Obama.
Hawaii has been hit hard by the recession. Tourism has cratered. I read recently where they have gone to a four day school week because of lack of funding.
It’s not pretty in paradise. On the upside for Abercrombie, the weather is much better over there and even if he doesn’t win the governership, he can retire with a cushy pension and sip Mai Tai’s on Waikiki Beach for the remainder of his days.
I dont know.
I am an Ohioan and dont follow Hawaii that closely.
But I dont think that would have much impact on Abercrombies decision to run. Lingle is a Republican.
Isnt Lingle term limited?
as per the topic, I was talking about the next governor, not this one, I suspect the fix is in for Abercrombie, a long time associate of the commies who surrounded the Dunham family in their early history in Hawaii
I know she is a Republican. I was just hoping she’d be reelected. Abercrombie is such a weasel.
Well it is a Hawaii paper and I think the intended reader would be aware that Abercrombie is a Dem.
Hawaii has two Reps both are Dems.
In other words, he knows that the road Pelosi is taking this Congress on is damaging to his chances in the Governor’s race and wants to disassociate himself from it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.