U.S. Congresswoman Mazie Hirono announced the endorsement of two key groups this morning outside the Prince Kuhio Federal Building.

The Sierra Club and the Hawai'i State Teachers Association stood shoulder to shoulder yesterday expressing their early endorsement of the candidate they feel champions their causes in Washington, D.C.

"Her voting record on national issues is 100 percent and her open-door policy has been all about public education," said Roger Takabayashi, president of the Hawai'i State Teachers Association. "Hawai'i has a strong voice with Mazie. She's been a life-long advocate for public education."

Hirono said that education, the environment and energy are the three Es she's most concerned about. She said she covets the endorsement of the two groups.

In 2007 Hirono was elected to Congress to represent the 2nd District (rural O'ahu, Neighbor Islands), a 600,000 strong voting constituency. Prior to her election to Congress she ran unsuccessfully for governor as the Democratic candidate and from 1994-2002 she was the lieutenant governor.

"The Sierra Club supports building a tenure of leadership for Hawai'i," said Mark Glick, vice chairman of the executive committee for the Sierra Club Hawai'i Chapter. "She has supported measures that deal with climate change, invasive species eradication and is dedicated to clean water."