Re-elected U.S. Reps. Patsy Mink and Neil Abercrombie share good news at a Democratic party last night. The two are part of Hawaii's all-Democratic congressional delegation that will return again to a GOP-controlled Congress in Washington.
Photo by Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Abercrombie yesterday fought off a challenge by Swindle to win a fourth term to the House representing urban Oahu. Abercrombie edged out his opponent by 3.8 percent of the vote, according to final unofficial tabulations.
The margin of victory was substantially less than the 11 percent when the two men first faced each other in the 1994 House race. But the Abercrombie campaign felt the smaller margin probably arose because torrential rains in the western part of the 1st Congressional District, a stronghold, kept some supporters from voting, and could not be attributed to growing conservatism or dissatisfaction.
"The areas that we felt we were going to do the best in were the areas hardest hit by the storm," Abercrombie said. "So if we're still winning, then I feel that shows the strength of the message that we tried to convey."
U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye and Abercrombie rejoice
after the first printout.
Photo by George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
His re-election, along with that of U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink in the 2nd Congressional District (rural Oahu-neighbor islands) keeps intact the four-member Democratic congressional delegation, and continues a pattern in which no Hawaii incumbent has ever lost a bid to return to Washington. (Abercrombie won a special election to finish Cec Heftel's House term in 1986, but lost the Democratic primary.)
But even with that history, the sense of relief was almost palpable at Abercrombie's small headquarters just outside Chaminade University when the first voting printouts put him ahead.
Polls showed Swindle closing the gap in the final weeks of the campaign. An Abercrombie spokesman said recent tracking surveys had the gap widening again, but questions about the weather's impact on voter turnout created some last-minute apprehension.
Until late yesterday afternoon, phone banks were urging residents to cast their votes for Abercrombie, an indication of the anxiety.
"This victory is a sweet one, let me put it that way," said spokesman Michael Slackman.
Challenger Orson Swindle watches
as vote tallies are announced last night.
Photo by George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
The race was spirited and sometimes acrimonious. Swindle had portrayed Abercrombie as a tax-and-spend liberal, while the Democrat defended his record on behalf of the poor and the environment, and characterized Swindle as a newcomer to Hawaii with no record of community service.
The National Republican Congressional Committee had targeted Abercrombie as vulnerable, and House Speaker Newt Gingrich specifically mentioned the Hawaii race on CNN yesterday.
Abercrombie said many people had advised him to "pound" Swindle instead of talking about issues, but he decided that would alienate voters.
"But I'm not going to pretend that I didn't wake up some mornings saying, well, I'm going to let people know about the kind of person that I'm dealing with here," he said.
U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, who campaigned for Abercrombie, said sending a Democratic delegation to a Congress still controlled by Republicans "will make the challenge a little more interesting."
He said the state and nation are shifting discernibly toward the center, but he described Abercrombie as "not that left."
Mink easily swept to victory last night over a relatively unknown Republican challenger, attorney Tom Pico, and three others.
"Our opposition to the very reactionary Republican leadership of the House has been vindicated," Mink said, referring to her victory and the national elections that returned President Clinton to office.
"Of course, not being in the majority makes a big difference," Mink said last night, obviously disappointed that Democrats fell short of a majority in Congress. But Mink said Democrats have had increasing success persuading Republicans to moderate their stands, saving key programs in education and other areas.
Pico described his low-key campaign as "a tremendous experience," but said he was hampered by a lack of funds.
Pico was outspent by more than 7-1. Mink's campaign raised and spent more than $250,000 through Oct. 15, while Pico had spent just $33,000, according to financial reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
Pico said the cost of campaigning in the large district, which covers the neighbor islands and all of rural Oahu, was a definite barrier.
"To do just one mailing to households in the district costs about $30,000, and you need to do at least three to make an impact," Pico said. "Unfortunately, we didn't have that kind of money."
Pico also said Hawaii Republicans have to do a better job of working together to succeed.
"The congressional candidates need to have more support from candidates and office holders on the other islands," he said.
"The party needs to motivate neighbor islanders to take an interest in the congressional race and get behind our congressional candidate."
This will be the 10th term in the House for Mink, first elected in 1964. She served six terms before making an unsuccessful run for the Senate in 1976, and was re-elected to the House in 1990.
While the final votes were still being tallied last night, Mink said she would definitely run for re-election in 1998 to provide support to Clinton.
"The problem we had (in Congress) this year was that 30 Democrats resigned. We just have to hang in there and keep our focus on passing the programs the president has proposed," Mink said.