Akaka declares intent
for a third Senate term

U.S. Rep. Ed Case was rumored
to be seeking the position

With a low-key informal announcement in Washington, D.C., Hawaii's U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka said this week he would run for a third full term.

Akaka, 80, said he made his announcement to both his Democratic caucus and the Democratic National Committee.

"I am anticipating a tough campaign," said Akaka, who is also a former U.S. representative. So far there have been no declared Republican or Democratic candidates.

Akaka did acknowledge the rumors that U.S. Rep. Ed Case, a Democrat who represents rural Oahu and the neighbor islands, was interested in the Senate position.

"I have heard the rumors and I'm hearing them again, and of course he is free to do what he wants to do, but I haven't spoken to him at all about it," Akaka said.

But Case said he is planning to run for re-election to the House next year. "I have filed papers with the Federal Campaign Commission for my House seat," he said.

Case added that he would run for the U.S. Senate "if there was an opening."

"Right now, there is not," he said. But he cautioned that he is not ruling anything out.

"I haven't ruled out running for governor, Senate or re-election," Case said, noting that he is "telling everyone I am running for re-election."

Meanwhile, Akaka said he wants another term in the Senate because with his seniority he is a ranking Democrat on several committees.

"I am the ranking Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee, and it has risen in responsibility," Akaka said, adding that he is concerned that veterans of the Iraq war are not being given enough support.

"Veterans coming out of Iraq are going to really need our help," he said.

Akaka was appointed to the Senate in April 1990 and won a special election that November to fill the unexpired term of the late Sen. Spark Matsunaga. He was re-elected in 1994 and 2000.

Akaka said the bill he authored to extend sovereignty to native Hawaiians is up for a hearing in the Indian affairs subcommittee on Tuesday. The meeting will be chaired by U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has said he has concerns about the bill.

"He is not totally for it, but I think he will take it up and try to get it out of committee," Akaka said. "I have been meeting with other members of the committee on the other side to be sure they know what it is all about."