Hawaii will face a bloody Democratic primary as ambitious two term Rep. Edward E. "Ed" Case (D-HI) has announced he'll challenge octagenarian Senator Daniel Kahikina Akaka (D-HI) for the Dem nomination.
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/...
Case's rationale to challenge Akaka:
saying he has the deepest respect for Akaka but according to case Hawaii is in a time of transition our Hawaii's representation in Congress and especially in the Senate. This transition requires that Hawaii phases in the next generation to provide continuity in that service. Case warned the state would lose all clout in Washington if the state's two US Senators leave office within a short time of each other.
Case never made a secret about his ambitions or his desire to be in the US Senate. Everybody expected him to run for one of the Senate seats when they became vacant... however nobody ever expected him to challenge a sitting Senator... those two guys are giants in Hawaiian politics...
Smart money is on Akaka though... Plus, one could safely say that if Ed Case loses, he'll be so tainted he'll never be able to run for high office again in HI...
One could safely expect that thsi seat remains in Dem hands, regardless the eventual nominee... but it sure gives a "sparkling" primary.