Case wins by big margin

By James Gonser
Advertiser Staff Writer

Congressman Ed Case won a full term in the U.S. House of Representatives in the special election by what he called a landslide, taking 43.2 percent of the vote.

Newly elected U.S. Rep. Ed Case was all smiles yesterday after winning the race to fill the seat in the 2nd Congressional District. Case left for Washington, D.C., last night and will be sworn in to the 108th Congress tomorrow. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

Democrats also took the second and third places in the election, with former state Sen. Matt Matsunaga winning 23,050 or 30.2 percent of the votes, followed by state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa with 6,046 or 7.9 percent of the votes.

"I said if I got 33 percent of the vote, we would win," Case told a packed room of excited supporters at his Kapi'olani Boulevard campaign headquarters. "If I got 40 percent of the vote, it would be a landslide. We got 43 percent."

Only 76,328 or 21.9 percent of the 348,342 registered voters in the 2nd Congressional District, which covers rural O'ahu and the Neighbor Islands, made it to the precincts yesterday, but that was better than the 13.3 percent of eligible voters who turned out in the special election Nov. 30.

Case left for Washington, D.C., last night and will be sworn in with the other members of the 108th Congress tomorrow. Case also won the Nov. 30 special election to fill the remaining five weeks of Mink's term, which ended Friday.

"I have a good head start in momentum and seniority from serving out the remainder of the late Rep. Patsy Mink's term, so I'll hit the ground running," Case said.

Matsunaga, who was former Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono's running mate on the Democrats' losing team for the governor's office, said he is not sure of his plans right now, except for reconnecting with his family after so much time on the campaign trail.

"Ed did a great job. I commend him on a terrific campaign," Matsunaga said. "He is such a strong candidate. We came close, but just couldn't pass him."

State Rep. Barbara Marumoto was the top Republican vote getter with 4,497 or 5.89 percent of the vote, followed by former state Rep. Bob McDermott with 4,298 or 5.63 percent of the vote.

"I'm very happy with my showing," Marumoto said. "It could have been better, but Case had a very big lead. I still believe strongly that Hawai'i is at a disadvantage with an all-Democrat delegation in Congress."

Ed Case, who said he was "incredibly proud" to represent the 2nd Congressional District, was interviewed via phone by CNN at his campaign headquarters. Behind him are Madison Obata, 7, and Annalynn Torres, 10. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

This special election filled the two-year term in the 108th Congress won posthumously by Mink, who died Sept. 28 of viral pneumonia brought on by chickenpox.

Of the 39 other candidates in yesterday's election, none drew as much as 1 percent of the vote, and 647 people turned in blank ballots.

Hanabusa said the special election turnout was likely so low because it was held so close to the holidays, and it was the fourth time voters in the district were asked to go to the polls beginning with the primary election Sept. 21.

To hold down costs, the state Office of Elections used only 91 of the district's 192 voting sites, but some people were still upset that the special elections were held at all, costing the taxpayers an estimated $1.4 million, Hanabusa said.

"We were hoping the election would make people more excited, but obviously it didn't," Hanabusa said. "This is far from a clear mandate."

University of Hawai'i political science professor Neal Milner said Case has now proven himself as a power player in the Hawai'i Democratic Party.

"The election reinforced that Case is a heck of a good vote getter," Milner said. "He came up very rapidly from a virtual unknown to a congressman. He was helped by the fact that there was a special election, but he is a good campaigner."

The election also shows the Democratic Party is not dead in the state, even though Republican Linda Lingle was elected governor in November, he said.

"This will make the Hawai'i congressional coalition an even more powerful source for rebuilding the Democratic party here," Milner said. "In recent elections, our senior senator (Dan Inouye) has played an important role in trying to bring about party unity. Now Case will become even more important along those lines."

Case said his priorities in Congress will be economic revitalization, education reform, environmental protection, health and senior care, crime and Native Hawaiian issues.

"These are tough times in our country and tough times in our state, and to have the opportunity to represent all the people of the 2nd Congressional makes me incredibly proud and incredibly humble," Case told about 100 supporters yesterday. "I look back and think of my mentors, Spark Matsunaga, and Bill Richardson, who is here with me here today. Enjoy this moment. This is for you. This is your win. I couldn't have done it without you."

Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.