Congress Member Mazie Hirono, D-HI-1, added her name today to what may be a crowded race for U.S. Senate. She will be vying for the seat that U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka has held for three decades.
Akaka, 86, announced his retirement from politics earlier this year after Hawaii’s Senior Senator, Daniel Inouye, said he was not going to be able to help Akaka fund raise $3 million for his next 6-year Senatorial campaign.
Hirono served as Hawaii’s lieutenant governor under Gov. Benjamin Cayetano for 8 years until 2002. She lost the governor’s election that year to Republican Linda Lingle, and was out of politics until she replaced Ed Case in Congress in 2007 after he unsuccessfully challenged Akaka for the Senate seat.
Ed Case is the first Democrat to announce he will run for the open U.S. Senate seat and Hirono is the second.
Reached by phone while on vacation in Italy, Case, a former Blue Dog Democrat in the U.S. House, said he welcomes Hirono to the race. He said voters will have a choice on election day between at least two very different candidates. Political analysts note that Hirono is not known for her independence and instead is considered a “loyal foot soldier” to the very left of her party.
No Republican has entered the race yet, but former Gov. Linda Lingle or former Congressman Charles Djou may run for U.S. Senate or for the U.. House.
Hirono said in a letter to her supporters today: “I’ve heard from so many people across our great state — and longtime supporters like you — encouraging me to run for his open seat. Thoughts and well-wishes have come from every island: I’m humbled and inspired by the support I’ve received from Hawaii families. So inspired that today, I am announcing my candidacy for United States Senate. We’ve fought some tough fights together in Congress. And, together, we’ll keep fighting for Hawaii in the U.S. Senate.”
She added: “While I’m the candidate in this race, this will always be your campaign. I’ve never sought public office just to hear the sound of my own voice. I’m running for Senate so that my voice can continue to be your voice. We’ll win this race the way we’ve won in the past — by making this campaign by, of, and for the people of Hawaii, not the insiders and special interests.”
Thank goodness. Maybe now she will get tossed out in the primary and we won’t have to deal with her any more.
[…] US Senate. She will be vying for the seat that US Senator Daniel Akaka has held for three decades. read full news Published: Fri, 20 May 2011 00:59 Tags: Congressmember Mazie Hirono Jumps in US Senate […]
[…] against former US Rep. …Rep. Mazie Hirono to run for Akaka's Senate seatBizjournals.comCongressmember Mazie Hirono Jumps in US Senate RaceHawaii ReporterMazie Hirono to seek Akaka's seatPolitico (blog)KITV Honolulu -Hawaii News […]
Wake up Hawaii! Do NOT vote for Hirono. She has done absolutely NOTHING — zip, zero, nada — for Hawaii.
As Dave Shapiro pointed out a few days ago in the SA: “Hirono won the U.S. House seat that Case vacated in 2006 and, as with her stint as lieutenant governor, has maintained near invisibility except for the occasional news release assuring voters that she’s “fighting” for us. The ultralow profile keeps her free of controversy.”
I live in the Second Congressional District so Hirono supposedly represents me. In January, I wrote her a letter pointing out some serious problems with the TSA operations at Honolulu International Airport. (This wasn’t about being “patted down” or scanned, by the way.) Here it is over four months later and Hirono hasn’t had the simple courtesy — can you say “Aloha”? — to send me a reply. Is this the kind of “representative” we want or need in our nation’s capital? I, for one, don’t!
Hawaii, we deserve better than the likes of Lazy Mazie Hirono! As the saying goes: “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me!” Auwe!
Will someone please tell me what, if anything, Mazie has actually done over the course of her political career, as State Representative, Lt. Governor, and US Congresswoman? Seriously, can anyone name one accomplishment? Hell, can anyone even name one good faith attempt to get something done? As near as I can tell she sits there and collects tax payer money and feels she is entitled to advancement. I’m currently her constituent and have never received a response to any inquiry I have sent her office. Her news letters routinely are limited to letting people know how many times she voted. So tell me, why would I want to give her a promotion? So she can do more NOTHING?
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