Offering frequent news and analysis from the majestic Evergreen State and beyond, The Cascadia Advocate is the Northwest Progressive Institute's unconventional perspective on world, national, and local politics.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Hawaii Senate race: Akaka holding early lead

Believe it or not, today is an election day - Hawaii holds its primary on a Saturday. And the results are just coming in:
U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka has an early lead tonight in the first printout of election returns in his highly anticipated race against fellow Democrat Ed Case.

"It's not as good as being ahead, obviously," Case said just after the first returns. "They're the absentees. We'll see what happens with the regular vote. That's all you can say about it."

Akaka arrived at the Dole Cannery Ballroom at 7:34 p.m. wearing an orange-print aloha shirt, but did not immediately speak to supporters or reporters.

As the results were displayed on two large projection screens, the more than 300 Akaka supporters rose to their feet and broke into a chant of "six more years."
Case is a younger, conservative Democrat who apparently has long had his eyes on higher office. Too impatient to wait for Sen. Akaka to retire, Case decided on a primary challenge. But it doesn't look like his gamble is paying off. Akaka, according to the most recent returns available, has 56% of the vote (47,446) while Case has only around 43% (36,642).

UPDATE: Akaka wins - Case has conceded.

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