Hopefuls for
U.S. House face off

Abercrombie and Tanonaka
are both driven by service

The election for the 1st Congressional District seat pits a veteran politician, Democrat Neil Abercrombie, who says his passion to serve the public continues to grow, against a political newcomer, Republican Dalton Tanonaka, who says he just wants an opportunity to serve his community.

Abercrombie, 66, has been in public office for the past 30 years. He says the prejudice he experienced and witnessed growing up steered him toward a career in public service and continues to drive him.

"I was a haole kid on the mainland. But I was a Protestant in a Catholic city. I first learned about prejudice through religion, something that not everybody necessarily understands," said Abercrombie, who was born in Buffalo, New York.

After getting his bachelor's degree from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., he moved to Hawaii.

"One of the reasons I came to Hawaii in 1959 is Hawaii had a reputation, even then, as the great melting pot of the world, where everybody was equal, everybody had the same opportunities," Abercrombie said. "It didn't matter where you came from, who you were.

"So when I came out here and I realized what a fantastic message that was, I tried to live my life that way."

Tanonaka, 50, says being a political newcomer works in his favor because he believes voters want change.

"I think we need real people in Congress, not career politicians," Tanonaka said.

He says he will take to Washington the business experience and communication skills he gained as a journalist here and in Asia.

"I think people would like that and find it refreshing," he said.

Abercrombie's political career began in 1974, when he was elected to the state Legislature, serving in the House and Senate. He was also a special assistant to the Superintendent of Education and served two years in the Honolulu City Council. He has been in Congress for the last 14 years, where he is a senior member of the Armed Services Committee.

Abercrombie says his seniority and experience in Congress has allowed him to work in partnership with Sen. Daniel Inouye and Sen. Daniel Akaka to deliver the military projects and jobs to Hawaii.

He believes the key issue in the election is his experience and record of accomplishments and his opponent's lack of experience.

Tanonaka's top issue is the need to diversify Hawaii's economy to be less dependent on tourism and federal defense spending, and he believes he can provide a bridge to Asia.

"I would love to be the guy known as the Asia-Pacific guy in Congress," Tanonaka said.

And he believes that as a Republican, he will bring balance to Hawaii's Democratic delegation in Washington.

But the former newspaper and television reporter and anchor is learning some tough campaign lessons. He is facing a possible criminal investigations from a state campaign spending complaint filed against him from his unsuccessful 2002 election campaign for lieutenant governor and a federal probe from a complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission for the current election.

Tanonaka says the complaints are baseless and an attempt to derail his election since neither can be resolved before Nov. 2.

"(I'm) a citizen who's just trying to do good, who simply wants to serve the public, who gave up a high-paying job, good job, prestigious job. I had no reason to do it except wanting to help, and I get ripped for it," Tanonaka said.

In 2001, Tanonaka said he was in the best job of his life as a CNN anchor in Hong Kong and at the height of his earning power, prestige and career as a journalist.

Then 9/11 hit. In the weeks that followed, he saw friends and family lose their jobs and felt he needed to return to Hawaii where he was born and raised. He was halfway through a three-year contract with his employer when he said he asked to be released.

"Sometimes in life, you gotta get directly involved," Tanonaka said. "As a journalist, you're on the sidelines observing and recording history. But at this crucial time in history, I felt obligated to participate directly."

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Issue watch Here are how the views of Neil Abercrombie and Dalton Tanonaka stack up on some campaign issues. Taxes Abercrombie: Supported President Bush's first tax cut when the government had a budget surplus. Now with a budget deficit, does not favor cutting taxes for the wealthiest Americans as the country tries to finance the war effort. Tanonaka: Supports the Bush's tax cut plan. Generally in favor of tax cuts, tax breaks and holding the lid on tax increases. Believes in giving back more dollars to taxpayers to stimulate the economy. War on Iraq Abercrombie: Voted against the war. Believes it has put a strain on National Guard and Reserve forces. Opposes a draft. Believes Pentagon has a plan to reinstate the draft and introduced legislation for a draft to force open discussion. Tanonaka: Supports President Bush in war on terror. Opposes a draft, believes talk of draft is scare tactic by opponents to the war.