Former Gov. Ben Cayetano, 72, was admitted to Queens Medical Center on Sunday on the advice of his doctor after he experienced symptoms of a bleeding ulcer.
His wife, Vicky Cayetano, told reporters today that preliminary tests confirmed the bleeding ulcer.
In 1997, while governor, Cayetano was hospitalized for five days with the same condition.
Cayetano will remain hospitalized until further tests and corrective surgery are completed, and barring complications, he is expected to be discharged by Wednesday, Sam Callejo, Campaign Manager for Cayetano, said today.
That is just three days before the Saturday, August 11, Primary Election.
Polls show Cayetano with some 44 percent of the vote, while his two opponents, Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle and former Managing Director Kirk Caldwell, with just 26 and 25 percent respectively.
Should anyone of the candidates secure 50 percent of the vote plus 1 vote on Saturday, they will be elected mayor. Otherwise the top two contenders will move into the General Election on November 6.