United States House of Representatives elections in Hawaii, 2012

The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Hawaii were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 to elect the two U.S. Representatives from the state, one from each of the state's two congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices, including a quadrennial presidential election and an election for the United States Senate. Primary elections were held on August 11, 2012.[1]

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Hawaii, 2012[2]
Party Votes Percentage Seats Before Seats After +/–
Democratic 285,008 67.45 2 2 ±0
Republican 137,531 32.55 0 0 ±0
Totals 422,539 100.00% 2 2 ±0

District 1

United States House of Representatives District 1
Hawaii
November 6, 2012
 
Nominee Colleen Hanabusa Charles Djou
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 114,756 95,431
Percentage 54.6% 45.4%
U.S. Representative before election

Colleen Hanabusa
Democratic

 Elected U.S. Representative

Colleen Hanabusa
Democratic

Democrat Colleen Hanabusa, who was first elected to represent the 1st district in 2010, successfully ran for re-election.[3] Roy Wyttenbach II unsuccessfully challenged Hanabusa in the Democratic primary.[4]

Former U.S. Representative Charles Djou, who represented the 1st district from May 2010 until January 2011, sought and received the Republican nomination to challenge Hanabusa again. He defeated C. Kaui Amsterdam and John Giuffre in the Republican primary.[5][6]

Primary results

Democratic primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Colleen Hanabusa (incumbent) 92,136 76.4
Democratic Roy Wyttenbach II 17,369 14.4
Blank Votes 11,036 9.2
Over Votes 41 0.0
Total votes 120,582 100
Republican primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles Djou 25,984 89.8
Blank Votes 1,758 6.1
Republican C. Kaui Amsterdam 799 2.8
Republican John Giuffre 376 1.3
Over Votes 11 0.0
Total votes 28,928 100

General election results

Hawaii's 1st Congressional District 2012[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Colleen Hanabusa (incumbent) 116,505 53.5
Republican Charles Djou 96,824 44.4
Blank Votes 4,467 2.1
Over Votes 80 0.0
Total votes 217,876 100
External links

District 2

United States House of Representatives District 2
Hawaii
November 6, 2012
 
Nominee Tulsi Gabbard Kawika Crowley
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 167,085 40,285
Percentage 80.6% 19.4%
U.S. Representative before election

Mazie Hirono
Democratic

 Elected U.S. Representative

Tulsi Gabbard
Democratic

Democrat Mazie Hirono, who has represented the 2nd district since 2007, announced in May 2011 that she would run for the U.S. Senate rather than for re-election to the House.[8]

Tulsi Gabbard, a member of the Honolulu City Council, was one of the first candidates to announce that she would seek the Democratic nomination to succeed Hirono.[9][10] Her strongest opponent was Mufi Hannemann, the former Mayor of Honolulu.[11][12] Other opponents included Esther Kia'aina, the chief advocate for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs;[13] Rafael "Del" del Castillo, an attorney and patients' rights advocate;[14] Bob Marx, an attorney;[14] and Miles Shiratori, a financial advisor.[15] Other potential Democratic candidates that didn't formally enter the race were state Senator Josh Green;[9] state Senator Clayton Hee;[9] and Gary Hooser, the director of the state's Office of Environmental Quality Control and a former state Senator.[9][16]

As of February 14, 2012, early in the primary campaign, Hannemann had led the field[17] and had 65% of the vote; in second place was Gabbard with 20%.[18]

Gabbard received endorsements from the Sierra Club,[19] Women Under Forty PAC,[20] Emily's List,[21] and MauiTime.[22] Hannemann and Gabbard also differed on the issue of same-sex marriage. Gabbard was opposed to the Defense of Marriage Act and to a proposed Hawaii state constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between a woman and a man, while Hannemann supported DOMA.[23] Gabbard had previously opposed same-sex marriage,[24] but during the primary campaign, promised to work to repeal DOMA and co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage act.[25] Voters initially doubted the sincerity of her new views on the issue.[26]

Gabbard filed a 270-page complaint against Hannemann's spending,[27] saying that his campaign broke campaign finance laws by failing to report 2012 travel and polling expenses and improperly dealt with Hanneman's salary from a tourism association.[28]

Candidates Marx, Gabbard, and Kia'aina debated on June 5,[29] and Marx, Gabbard, Kia'aina and Hannemann debated in early July.[23]

Gabbard's ratings in the polls increased steadily and Hannemann's dropped throughout the primary campaign,;[30] as of August 6, she was leading against Hanneman 49% to 29%. On August 11, she defeated Hanneman by twenty points, winning the primary. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser described her win as the "improbable rise from a distant underdog to victory".[31] Gabbard credited grassroots support as the reason for her come-from-behind win in the primary.[32] She decided to resign her seat on the City Council, stating that she wanted to prevent the cost of a separate special election,[33] and resigned on August 16.[34]

Kawika Crowley, a handyman, sought and received the Republican nomination.[35] He defeated Matthew DiGeronimo, an entrepreneur, motivational and business speaker, radio talk show host and former Navy officer,[36] in the primary.[37] Duke Aiona, the former Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii,[38] and Jonah Kaauwai, the former chairman of the Hawaii Republican Party,[14] had considered seeking the Republican nomination but chose not to run.

Gabbard won the general election on Nov 6, 2012 by defeating Crowley 81% to 19%.[39]

Primary results

Democratic primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tulsi Gabbard 62,882 54.0
Democratic Mufi Hannemann 39,176 33.6
Democratic Esther Kia'aina 6,681 5.7
Democratic Bob Marx 4,327 3.7
Blank Votes 2,158 1.9
Democratic Miles Shiratori 573 0.5
Democratic Rafael del Castillo 520 0.4
Over Votes 180 0.2
Total votes 116,497 100
Republican primary results[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kawika Crowley 9,056 45.0
Republican Matt DiGeronimo 5,843 29.0
Blank Votes 5,232 26.0
Over Votes 10 0.0
Total votes 20,141 100

General election results

Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District - 2012[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tulsi Gabbard 168,503 76.8
Republican Kawika Crowley 40,707 18.6
Blank Votes 9,952 4.5
Over Votes 121 0.1
Total votes 219,283 100
External links

References

  1. ↑ "State of Hawaii, Office of Elections". Office of Elections. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "GENERAL ELECTION 2012 - State of Hawaii - Statewide". State Of Hawaii Office of Elections. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
  3. ↑ Trygstad, Kyle (August 24, 2011). "Hanabusa Will Seek Re-Election, Not Bid for Senate". Roll Call. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Hanabusa snags Democratic bid for Hawaii US House". Associated Press. RealClearPolitics. August 12, 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Djou announces run for Congress, will deploy to Afghanistan". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. August 17, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Djou wins GOP nomination for Hawaii US House seat". Associated Press. RealClearPolitics. August 12, 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "PRIMARY ELECTION 2012 - State of Hawaii - Statewide" (PDF). State Of Hawaii Office of Elections. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  8. ↑ Catanese, David (May 19, 2011). "Mazie Hirono to seek Akaka's seat". Politico. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Trygstad, Kyle (May 26, 2011). "Tulsi Gabbard Running to Succeed Hirono in Hawaii". Roll Call. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Tulsi Gabbard announces candidacy for U.S. Congress". Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  11. ↑ Joseph, Cameron (August 30, 2011). "Former Honolulu Mayor Hannemann to run for House". Ballot Box. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  12. ↑ Trygstad, Kyle (August 30, 2011). "Mufi Hannemann Announces Open-Seat House Bid in Hawaii". Roll Call. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Office of Hawaiian Affairs chief advocate announces candidacy for 2nd Congressional District". Daily Reporter. August 10, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "Hilo attorney Marx announces U.S. House candidacy". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. November 3, 2011. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  15. ↑ Pang, Gordon Y.K. (August 11, 2012). "Gabbard upsets Hannemann". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  16. ↑ "'A possible path'". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. August 13, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  17. ↑ Pang, Gordon Y. K. (August 11, 2012). "Gabbard wins in upset of Hannemann". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Hanneman leads by big margin". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. February 14, 2012.
  19. ↑ Gutierrez, Ben (April 22, 2012). "Sierra Club endorses Hirono, Hanabusa, Gabbard in federal races". Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  20. ↑ Tsuji, Erika (October 25, 2011). "Leading nonpartisan PAC for women endorses Tulsi Gabbard for Congress". Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  21. ↑ Tulsi Gabbard
  22. ↑ Pignataro, Anthony (August 9, 2012). "MauiTime’s 2012 Hawaii Primary Election Endorsements". Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Gutierrez, Ben (July 8, 2012). "Hannemann, Gabbard trade jabs in Congressional debate". Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  24. ↑ LaFrance, Adrienne (Jan 17, 2012). "Tulsi Gabbard's Leftward Journey". Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  25. ↑ @MAUITIME Yes, and if elected to Congress, I will work to repeal DOMA, and co-sponsor Respect for Marriage Act #NOH8 #LGBT Tulsi Gabbard on Twitter. 07-08-2012. Retrieved 10-11-2012.
  26. ↑ Weems, Mickey (July 5, 2012). "Tulsi Gabbard's Moment of Truth". Expression Magazine. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  27. ↑ Tulsi Gabbard (July 10, 2012). Congressional Debate - Tulsi Gabbard. Honolulu, HI: Hawaii News Now.
  28. ↑ Tulsi Gabbard (July 10, 2012). Tulsi Gabbard files complaint against Mufi Hannemann's spending. Honolulu, HI: KITV News.
  29. ↑ Hawaii Congressional District 2 Debate on June 5, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  30. ↑ Levine, Michael (June 18, 2012). "Civil Beat Poll - Stunning Turnaround In Hawaii's CD2 Race". Retrieved November 12, 2012.
  31. ↑ Pang, Gordon Y.K. (August 11, 2012). "Gabbard Upsets Hanneman". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
  32. ↑ Tulsi Gabbard, Suzanne Malveaux (September 4, 2012). Tulsi Gabbard, one to watch at the DNC. Charlotte, NC: CNN.
  33. ↑ "Tulsi Gabbard Post Primary Election". KITV TV. August 13, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  34. ↑ Sakahara, Tim (August 16, 2012). "Tulsi Gabbard resigns, open seat generates interest". Hawaii News Now. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  35. ↑ Sakahara, Tim (August 23, 2012). "Handyman hopes to go from homeless to Congress". Hawaii News Now. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  36. ↑ Gracia, Daniel (July 10, 2012). "Hawaii’s Matt DiGeronimo: Congressional candidate and a real American hero". Washington Times.
  37. ↑ Eagle, Nathan (May 30, 2012). "DiGeronimo for Congress: The Same, But Different". Honolulu Civil Beat. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  38. ↑ "(Un)ambition". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. August 16, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  39. ↑ "Honolulu Star Advertiser General Election 2012 Results". Honolulu Star Advertiser. Retrieved November 9, 2012.

External links