2006 United States Senate election in Hawaii explained

The 2006 United States Senate election in Hawaii was held November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democrat Daniel Akaka won re-election to his third full term.

Democratic primary

Source:^[1]

Candidates

• Daniel Akaka, incumbent U.S. Senator
• Ed Case, U.S. Representative

Campaign

Case had stated that although he has the deepest respect for Daniel Akaka, Hawaii is in a time of transition with regard to the state's representation in Congress which requires that the state phase in the next generation to provide continuity in that service. He had warned the state would lose all clout in Washington if the state's two US Senators, both of whom are over 80 years old, leave office within a short time of each other.^[1] If a Senator were to die, Hawaii election law requires that the governor appoint a replacement of the same party.^[2]

Hawaii's other members of Congress, Rep. Neil Abercrombie and Sen. Daniel Inouye, pledged their support to Akaka.^[3]

Debates

• Complete video of debate, August 31, 2006

Polling

Source	Date	Daniel Akaka	Ed Case
align=left	QMark Research & Polling[4]	May 15, 2006		40%	38%
align=left	Honolulu Advertiser/Ward Research[5]	July 2, 2006		51%	40%
align=left	Rasmussen[6]	August 11, 2006		47%	45%
align=left	Honolulu Advertiser/Ward Research[7]	September 17, 2006		51%	38%

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Mark Beatty, attorney and businessman
• Jerry Coffee, retired Navy captain, Vietnam War POW, and motivational speaker (withdrew from the race before the Republican primary but his name still appeared on the ballot)
• Charles "Akacase" Collins^[8]
  • Jay Friedheim, attorney and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1998 and 2004 Eddie Pirkowski, businessman
• Steve Tataii, conflict resolution teacher and author

Results

Hawaii State Representative Cynthia Thielen was selected to be the Republican nominee after Jerry Coffee, who had previously withdrawn his candidacy, won the primary.

General election

Candidates

• Daniel Akaka (D), incumbent U.S. Senator
• Cynthia Thielen (R), Hawaii State Representative
• Lloyd Mallan (L), perennial candidate

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
align=left	The Cook Political Report[9]		November 6, 2006
align=left	Sabato's Crystal Ball[10]		November 6, 2006
align=left	Rothenberg Political Report[11]		November 6, 2006
align=left	Real Clear Politics[12]		November 6, 2006

Results

Akaka won in all 4 Hawaii counties, taking at least 60% of the vote in each area.

See also

• 2006 United States Senate elections

External links

Official campaign websites (Archived)

• Daniel Akaka campaign website
• Ed Case campaign website
• Mark Beatty campaign website
• Cynthia Thielen campaign website
• Steve Tataii campaign website
• Lloyd "Jeff" Mallan campaign website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Akaka wins; Case concedes The Honolulu Advertiser Hawaii's Newspaper . 2024-06-01 . the.honoluluadvertiser.com.
2. Web site: Maskell . Jack . Beginning and end of the Terms of United States Senators chosen to fill Senate vacancies . Congressional Research Service . https://web.archive.org/web/20120401185007/https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/Vacancies.pdf . April 1, 2012 . January 20, 2010 . dead.
3. Web site: StarBulletin.com News /2006/01/20/ . March 30, 2006 . April 5, 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060405082330/http://starbulletin.com/2006/01/20/news/story01.html . dead .
4. https://web.archive.org/web/20060921214105/http://www.edcase.com/senate/Poll_Results.pdf QMark Research & Polling
5. http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060702/NEWS01/607020343/1001/NEWS Honolulu Advertiser/Ward Research
6. https://web.archive.org/web/20060815035346/http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/August%202006/HawaiiSenate.htm Rasmussen
7. http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060917/NEWS05/609170360 Honolulu Advertiser/Ward Research
8. Web site: 4 January 2006 . 2006 Senatorial Republican Primary Election Results - Hawaii . 1 June 2024 . U.S. Election Atlas.
9. Web site: 2006 Senate Race Ratings for November 6, 2006 . The Cook Political Report . https://web.archive.org/web/20080605093937/https://cookpolitical.com/races/report_pdfs/2006_sen_ratings_nov6.pdf . September 30, 2021. June 5, 2008 .
10. Web site: Election Eve 2006: THE FINAL PREDICTIONS . Sabato's Crystal Ball . June 25, 2021.
11. Web site: 2006 Senate Ratings . Senate Ratings . The Rothenberg Political Report . June 25, 2021.
12. Web site: Election 2006 . Real Clear Politics . June 25, 2021.