Big jobs at stake
in general election

The top races include Honolulu
mayor and three of Hawaii's
four congressional seats

Add a grudge match race for mayor of Honolulu to last-minute presidential campaigning, and voters in Hawaii have some major reasons to go to the polls in November.

The race for mayor between two former city councilmen, Mufi Hannemann and Duke Bainum, carries over from the September primary election. Bainum had more votes in the primary than Hannemann, 84,182 to 78,268, but because of other candidates in the race -- including former Mayor Frank Fasi -- neither won more than 50 percent of the vote, as required.

Also up this year are three-quarters of Hawaii's all-Democratic congressional delegation. Senior U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye is opposed by Republican Cam Cavasso, a former member of the state Legislature; Jeff Mallan, a Libertarian; and Jim Brewer, a nonpartisan candidate.

The two U.S. House races put incumbents Rep. Neil Abercrombie and Rep. Ed Case to the test.

In the 1st Congressional District (urban Honolulu), Abercrombie faces Dalton Tanonaka, who failed to win the GOP primary election for lieutenant governor two years ago, and Libertarian Elyssa Young.

GOP challenger Tanonaka is making the draft his big issue, saying he opposes Abercrombie's support of a bill to restore the draft.

Abercrombie co-sponsored a bill that would require "all young persons in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security."

Tanonaka says Abercrombie is attempting to scare voters away from voting for Republicans by raising the possibility of a draft. Abercrombie says he is against the draft, and recently put out a campaign release saying he co-sponsored the bill to "start a public discussion" about military shortages.

"Neil Abercrombie is against a draft," the statement from Abercrombie said.

In the 2nd Congressional District (rural Oahu and neighbor islands), Case, who is completing his first full term in Congress, is up against Honolulu City Councilman Mike Gabbard, a Republican.

Gabbard is trying to win votes with his opposition to same-sex marriage, a campaign that he spearheaded in 1998 to support an amendment to the state Constitution that would give the Legislature the authority to limit marriage to members of the opposite sex.

"Ed Case believes homosexuals should be allowed to marry. Ed Case opposes any laws or constitutional amendments which prohibit homosexual marriage," Gabbard says.

Last month, Case voted against a U.S. constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. The measure failed.

The presidential race has been low-profile in Hawaii, although supporters of President Bush say it is likely that the national GOP will put some money for advertising into the state campaign.

On the Democratic side, Jadine Nielsen, a former political consultant with former Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono, is heading up the John Kerry campaign. The Democrats also are trying to get some national attention for the Hawaii campaign.