Inouye says he'll seek 8th term in U.S. Senate

Associated Press

Saying there is unfinished business, Dan Inouye formally announced his candidacy last night for an eighth term in the U.S. Senate.

The 79-year-old Democrat has served in Congress since Hawai'i became a state in 1959 and is the third most senior member of the U.S. Senate, behind Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., and Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts.

Inouye said many people are talking about politicians and "special interests" in Washington right now.

"As far as I'm concerned, you are all very special to me. You are my special interests, and I'm going to do everything possible," he said.

Accompanied by his wife, Maggie, Inouye made the announcement before 2,200 supporters at a sold-out $150-a-plate fund-raiser at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Among those in attendance were fellow Democrats U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, U.S. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Ed Case and former Govs. George Ariyoshi, John Waihee and Ben Cayetano.

Inouye, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and the first Japanese-American to serve in Congress, thanked his supporters and his wife, while sharing the virtues his parents left him.

His mother's advice to him was "Shut your mouth and open your ears," while his father's was, "Do something about it."

Inouye said he lives by those words.

Inouye is expected to easily win his bid for his eighth term. No challengers have surfaced.

Inouye said he has never taken a vacation because he is a workaholic.

"One of these days my bride of 55 years and I are going to spend one week in Hawai'i as tourists," Inouye said. "But there's a lot of unfinished business. That's one of the main reasons I'd like to stick around."

Inouye said he wants to be around to see the $650 million development of Ford Island. He also wants to see sovereignty restored for Hawaiians.

"I want to be here when that mission is complete," he said. "It's going to be done."

For four decades, Inouye has overseen billions of federal dollars into Hawai'i's economy and has been the state's most visible politician on the national stage.

Inouye was elected to public office on his first try in 1954 and has never lost an election.