US Rep. Mark Takai will not seek re-election due to cancer

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

HONOLULU — U.S. Rep. Mark Takai has announced he will not seek a second term in Congress due to health problems.

Takai was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. He had planned to fight the cancer while running for re-election but recently learned the disease had spread, he said in a statement Thursday.

“Right now, for the sake of my family, I need to focus on getting better rather than getting re-elected,” said the Democrat. “Although I will not be running for re-election, I intend to serve out the remainder of my term in Congress. There is still much work that I am determined to see through for Hawaii and our nation over the next few months.”

Takai, 48, was elected in 2014 after former U. S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa left her seat to run for U.S. Senate.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]


Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/us-rep-mark-takai-will-not-seek-re-election-due-to-cancer/2016/05/19/0baab282-1e28-11e6-82c2-a7dcb313287d_story.html

---

By Cathy Bussewitz?|?AP May 19 at 9:13 PM

[24601]

1. Best wishes for remission & recovery Representative Takai. Our enemy is cancer, not our fellow

citizens with different political viewpoints.

[7962]

2. AMen to that. And this type is one of the worst to have.

I've had 2 classmates die from it.

[riversedge]

3. Best to you and your family.

[Jitter65]

4. Positive thoughts and prayers for comfort and healing.

Lost my son-in-law to cancer in 2010. It was devastating and the chemo, I think, was worse than the disease. Two young kids and a grieving daughter haven't gotten over this yet. I hope his course of treatment is successful.

[mahina]

6. My Takai sticker isn't coming off the bumper soon, if ever.

He is one of the good ones. Hoping for the best for him and very grateful for his service.

Aloha no Mark, Sami and ohana! Can do, brah.