The PAC, representing the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, had recommended endorsing the veteran lawmaker.

"Milton was the victim of a well-organized effort of some in the university to knock him out of political office," said John Radcliffe, associate executive director of the UHPA. (Union) leadership did not do a good job of explaining his excellent record for UH."

The vote was close - 186 opposing the Holt endorsement, 156 for it and 60 returning unmarked ballots. But turnout was low, with only 402 ballots returned of 3,168 sent out.

It means there will be no UHPA endorsement in the Senate District 14 (Palama-Alewa Heights) race.

In the Democratic primary, Holt, 43, faces a tough challenge from three-term state Rep. Suzanne Chun Oakland, 35. The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Jonathan Low, a political novice and gun salesman who is opposed to same-sex marriages.

Karl Minke, an associate professor of psychology and a leader in the anti-Holt drive, said the leading factor against Holt was his guilty plea in 1991 to a misdemeanor charge of abusing his then-wife.

"He's a symbol of something that does not reflect the values of many of us at the university," said Minke, who sent e-mail computer messages to his colleagues to express his concern and to mobilize opposition.

Dolores Foley, an assistant professor of public administration, said Holt's "behavior inconsistent with the office," including alleged public drunkenness in New Orleans, was another factor for many faculty members. Holt said it was a false arrest.

Radcliffe said: "It appears in the minds of some that (spousal abuse) is a sin so mortal, a stain so deep and a crime of such magnitude that it can never be forgiven or ever wiped away. Milton's ex-wife forgave him, but others can't."

Two years ago, during a live televised forum of Honolulu mayoral hopefuls, Warner "Kimo" Sutton, now a Republican candidate for the state Senate, said Holt should have been sentenced to a year in jail for pleading guilty to spousal abuse instead of two days in jail and 22 weeks of anger-management classes.

Holt could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Radcliffe said UHPA's political action committee, which has nine members, including one ex-officio participant, agreed unanimously to recommend that Holt be endorsed. Radcliffe couldn't recall what the vote was but said not all of the committee's members were present.

Beginning in the late 1970s, when Holt served one term in the House before he moved on to the Senate in 1980, Holt has been one of the Legislature's leading backers of higher education, Radcliffe said.

"When he was higher education chairman, he delivered millions to UH. He has never not supported a UH or UHPA initiative."