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Congress The outcome of Hawaii's congressional races could affect majority leadership in the U.S. House, and Hawaii voters may also be key to the outcome of the presidential election, Hawaii's Democratic representatives say.
Hawaii races could
be crucial to which party
rules in Congress
By Treena Shapiro
Star-BulletinU.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie is facing opposition from Republican Phil Meyers in the general election. But yesterday morning, Abercrombie said he is more concerned about helping Democrat Al Gore win the presidency and regaining Democrat majority leadership in the House.
"I'm very focused on bringing in a huge vote for Al Gore," Abercrombie said. Right now, the electoral college votes for Vice President Al Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush are basically tied, he said.
While the congressman, who represents urban Oahu, would prefer to see Gore win outright before the Hawaii delegation casts its four electoral votes, he said, "It's within the realm of possibility we could decide the election."
If he and U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink, representing rural Oahu and the neighbor islands, are re-elected, they could help Democrats regain a majority in the House. So, Abercrombie hopes voters will turn out in the general election.
Mink is facing what could be a strong challenge from Republican candidate Russ Francis in the general election.
Francis said having a Republican member of Congress would give constituents a champion for the issues that will help Hawaii move forward. "Right now, the Republicans hold the House, and we can finally put someone in the majority in the House and balance our congressional delegation if I am elected," he said.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Mink has raised $250,301, almost twice Francis' campaign funds. But Mink said, "I'm running on my record, not how much money I have."
Francis expressed optimism yesterday. "Winning's pretty simple. Either we accept what we've got, or we look to change to make things happen in a way that helps us move forward."
He said he plans to focus on public education, which he believes is a national issue. "Our children are leaving and they're not coming back. No amount of political rhetoric is going to change that. We need action. We need accessibility. We need help now, and I think I bring that to the scene."
Neither incumbent Sen. Daniel Akaka nor his Republican challenger, former state Sen. John Carroll, was available for comment following their victories in the primary.
Primary Election Results
