District 2
Congressman Patsy Takemoto
Mink (D) (deceased) and Robert C. McDermott(R)
http://www.dccc.org/candidates/onecand.phtml?candidate=44559
http://www.bobmcdermottforcongress.org/
WINNER- Patsy Mink
Mink passed away on September
28th after a long battle with viral pneumonia. Because she received her
party's nomination while in the hospital before her death, her name will
continue to appear on the ballot. She was a 12th term Congresswomen, and
her death was a very sad occurrence for many Hawaiians.
McDermott has served on the
Hawaii State House of Representatives from 1996 to November 2002. Additionally,
he has served on the House Tourism, Agriculture, Education, and Higher
Education Committees (1). A former Captain andUSMC, Desert Storm Veteran,
McDermott's service in the Marines is a strongpoint in his campaign (2).
The one issue that may very well stop McDermott in his tracks is his strong
pro-life views. While district is largely democratic, many voters might
not feel as though they have a choice with no living Democratic candidate.
If Mink does win the election,
the election will then be a "special election", leaving the position up
to the appointment by the Governor. (The governor's seat, of course, is
another story).
NEW DEVELOPMENT FROM THE
ASSOCIATED PRESS: Bob McDermott said Wednesday he is pulling out of the
Nov. 30 special election to fill the unexpired term of U.S. Rep. Patsy
Mink, who died of viral pneumonia last month.
McDermott said his decision
was made out of respect for Mink's husband, Democrat John Mink, who entered
the race Tuesday. The election is being held to fill the final weeks of
Patsy Mink's term.
On Nov. 5, another election
will be held to choose Mink's successor for the two-year House term beginning
in January. McDermott remains the GOP's candidate in that election; John
Mink has said he will not run for the full term. (3)
After voters cast their ballots
on November 5th, there will be another election on November 30th
for the five weeks that would remain in Mink's current term.
Then, if Mink wins the Nov.
5 election, would come another election on Jan. 4 to replace her for the
two-year term beginning in January.
Republicans have accused
Democrats of trying to manipulate the election system and of covering up
the seriousness of Mink's condition until after she won her primary election
and it was too late to take her off the general election ballot, according
to Associated Press reports (4). And according to the Sacramento Bee, all
of these "special elections" could cost taxpayers up to $2 million (5).
The race is largely under-resourced
for both candidates- probably because both candidates have made the news
so much in recent weeks, and need little money to promote name recognition.
McDermott has only spent $65,362, about a $1,000 less than he has raised
(6).
The likely outcome of this
mess is actually where it would have stood if Mink hadn't passed: the democrats
will triumph.
Mazie K. Hirono (D) and Linda
Lingle (R)
WINNER- Mazie Hirono
Hawaii is electing its Governor
in 2002. It is an Open Chair, as incumbent Democrat Ben Cayetano is term-limited
and cannot run for re-election as Governor.
The three major candidates
for the position are Mazie K. Hirono (D) and Linda Lingle (R). Education
is a top priority for Hirono, and her economic concerns include diversifying
Hawaii’s economic income so that dependence on tourism can be decreased.
Lingle, a former Maui Council Member and County Mayor, she also specifically
identified educational and economic reform movements in her campaign. The
Hawaii papers site this race as a close one, and both candidates are women
replacing a man formerly in the governor seat.
Partisan divide might cut
this final cake, though. Hawaii is largely Democratic, and Cayetano, former
governor, was a popular democrat. However, Lingle wins in the name recognition
category because she ran against Cayetano in 1998- and almost won. Hirono
has just recently decided to come out with a booklet detailing her plans
as governor, and has been largely criticized for it's late production (7).
Lingle is leading in most polls taken in Hawaii, mostly due to her name recognition and solid plans developed in her campaign. However- polls can be misleading. While Lingle is shown ahead-- there are a considerable number of voters that are left undecided. In sheer numbers, Democrats dominate the state. If those left undecided turned to Hirono, she should just jump ahead.
(1) http://www.bobmcdermottforcongress.org/about.htm
(2) http://www.bobmcdermottforcongress.org/about.htm
(3) http://news.findlaw.com/ap_stories/a/p/1133/10-16-2002/20021016184502_21.html
(4) http://news.findlaw.com/ap_stories/a/p/1133/10-15-2002/20021015133014_22.html.
(5) http://www.sacbee.com/24hour/politics/election/house/story/556392p-4385362c.html.
(6) http://www.opensecrets.org.
(7) http://starbulletin.com/2002/10/17/news/story1.html
(8) http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Jun/09/ln/ln02a.html