US Rep. Abercrombie of Hawaii To Resign In Feb To Run For Governor.

[Purveyor]

(01-04) 15:33 PST Honolulu (AP) --

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie announced Monday he will resign from Congress on Feb. 28 to run for Hawaii governor.

The 71-year-old Democrat, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 19 years, said he's resigning so that he can devote more time to his campaign and to allow state elections officials to plan for a special election to fill the vacancy in Hawaii's 1st District representing urban Honolulu.

"It was a decision inspired by the thousands of people who are frustrated by a collapse of leadership in our community but are encouraged by the opportunity in this new year for a change in direction," Abercrombie said in a statement.

Abercrombie will run for governor against such likely candidates as Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, a Democrat, and Republican Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona. Republican Gov. Linda Lingle is nearing the end of her second term and can't seek re-election.

In his remaining weeks in office, Abercrombie said he will work on health care reform and legislation that would provide a road map to gradually establish a Native Hawaiian government that would operate in much the same way that hundreds of Native American tribal governments operate.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/01/04/national/a141648S98.DTL

[Cha]

1. Neil Abercrombie sounds like he'd be

a good Gov from what I've seen over the years. It is about time that Hawai'i had a great Gov. lingle's been a disaster for the last 8 years and before that they had a Dem who wasn't that well thought of..that's why lingle got in, afaik.


Just in time for me to go back in 2010 and vote for him.B-)

[Bluenorthwest]

2. I heard Rep Abercrombie speak during the primaries

On behalf of Obama at the Oregon Democratic Party Platform Convention. He was great, really an exciting speaker.