With limited seniority, Akaka must show his clout

THE ISSUE Most delegates to the state Democratic Party convention voiced their support for Senator Akaka's reelection.

AS EXPECTED, Senator Akaka gained the enthusiastic support of the state Democratic Party's power structure at last weekend's party convention. That is no guarantee that he will be able to withstand his reelection challenge by Rep. Ed Case. Akaka must prove his effectiveness in order to deflect Case's call for building Senate seniority for the next generation.

Akaka talks about seniority, too, telling the conventioneers that "Hawaii needs all the seniority, experience and wisdom that we can muster in Washington, D.C." He made the same assertion in a rare appearance before the Star-Bulletin's editorial board soon after Case announced his candidacy in January. When we asked him where he ranks in seniority among Senate Democrats, he said he did not know.

Akaka's 16 years in the Senate puts him 19th in pecking order among the 44 Democrats. That modicum of seniority has rewarded him with the position of ranking Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee and on three subcommittees. In the unlikely event that Democrats regain control of the Senate, he presumably would become the chairman of Veterans Affairs, one of the Senate's four Class B committees; the Senate classifies the other 12 as Class A in importance.

If Akaka is re-elected, his placement is not likely to change significantly through the six-year term. Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md., age 73 and No. 4 in seniority, has chosen not to run for re-election this year, but most other Democrats with more tenure than Akaka are in their 60s or early 70s and not about to retire. Mid-term Sens. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., (No. 9), Joseph Biden, D-Del., (No. 4) and possibly John Kerry, D-Mass. (No. 11) are underdog 2008 presidential candidates and probably will stay where they are.

Seniority is very important, as Senator Inouye -- four days older than Akaka -- has demonstrated through his 43 years in the institution, where he has earned the reputation as king of pork for directing federal money to Hawaii. He is third in Democratic seniority behind West Virginia's 88-year-old Robert Byrd (47 years) and Massachusetts' Edward Kennedy, 74, whose election to the post vacated by brother John F. Kennedy to assume the presidency has led to 46 years in the Senate.

Case, 53, maintains that his election will lead to significant seniority benefiting Hawaii in the decades ahead, while Inouye's power will keep bringing money to the islands in the interim. Inouye supports Akaka's re-election, praising his colleague for his "moral courage" and "guts" in casting votes on issues.

Rep. Neil Abercrombie struck a more common chord when he said earlier this year that the campaign issues should be loyalty, humility and compassion. "The biggest thing in Hawaii is respect," said delegate Robert Yanabu of Hilo. The question is whether most voters in the Democratic primary election will agree with that perspective from the party's hierarchy.