Congress or governor or something else?

Former congressman Ed Case said he will announce today in an e-mail his political intentions for 2010.

Like U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawai'i, who made his formal announcement that he would run for governor earlier this month on his campaign Web site and the social-media site Twitter, Case is doing his statement via electronic media. But unlike Abercrombie, Case has not scheduled a traditional news conference.

Case, who did not return telephone calls seeking comment last night, has been sending out periodic updates about his political thoughts to his e-mail subscribers.

Friends and former aides to Case said last night they did not know his plans. Democratic Party of Hawai'i officials were also left out of the loop.

"There will be a lot of voters interested in Ed's intentions, and a number of other potential candidates will be watching as well," said Brian Schatz, the party's chairman.

Case has said he would either run for governor or the 1st Congressional District seat being vacated by Abercrombie. Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou has said he will run for the congressional seat as a Republican.

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona is campaigning for the Republican nomination for governor.

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann and state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, D-21st (Nanakuli, Makaha), have shown interest in running for governor or Congress. Honolulu City Councilman Duke Bainum is thinking about a potential run for Congress.

Case, a moderate, has been isolated in the party since his 2006 primary challenge to U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai'i. Case received no establishment support and limited financial help both locally and nationally, but still was able to pull 45 percent of the vote in his losing campaign.

Case also came close to winning the Democratic primary for governor in 2002 with little establishment assistance.

"He's intelligent. He's well-spoken. He's obviously not afraid to run; we saw that in the Senate race," said John Hart, a communications professor at Hawai'i Pacific University. "I think he's obviously known as his own man in a state that tends to be very top down in how the Democratic Party runs."

Hart and other observers said Case may be more suited for a campaign in the 1st Congressional District, which covers urban Honolulu and is more moderate-to-conservative than the 2nd Congressional District, which includes Central, Leeward and Windward O'ahu and the Neighbor Islands.

Case represented the 2nd District from 2002 to 2007, replacing the late congresswoman Patsy Mink. Case also served in the state House, representing Manoa and Makiki, from 1994 to 2002.

Case, an attorney who was born in Hilo, lives in Kane'ohe with his wife, Audrey.