UHPA endorses three
in Congress
The faculty union's board supports
By Pat Omandam
Inouye, Abercrombie and Mink
to return to Washington
Star-BulletinBelieving no other group can do a better job for higher education, the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly today endorsed three of Hawaii's four members of Congress for re-election next year. Alexander Malahoff, president of UHPA, said the 3,300-member faculty union's board, at its November meeting, voted to endorse U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and U.S. Reps. Patsy Mink and Neil Abercrombie.
All three attended this morning's news conference announcing the endorsements.
The three have not publicly stated they will seek re-election, and have until summer to do so.
The union did not discuss other political endorsements, including the governor's race, which Malahoff called a "different situation."
Malahoff said the board considered waiting for others to declare their candidacy for Congress but decided that it wasn't time to retire Hawaii's current delegation. He said securing federal funds for UH undergraduate education and research is too important to ignore, and this team has delivered tremendously, he said.
"We did it because we believe this team has proved to be the most effective delegation in the U.S.," said Malahoff, an oceanography professor.
U.S. Daniel Akaka was mentioned as the fourth member of this experienced team, but was not endorsed by the board.
Inouye said the university has been an important part of his life and a source of inspiration. His first coffee hour as a political candidate some 43 years ago was with UH faculty and staff, he recalled.
Mink said higher education is under scrutiny in Washington, and she pledged to continue to make it her highest priority. Undergraduate education and research are vital to the future of this state, she said.
"We know what the problems are in Congress."
As a former alumni and UH faculty member, Abercrombie said his relationship with UH spans four decades.
"You can count on this delegation," he said.
