Dan Akaka, who has served in the Senate since 1990 and is now 86 years old, says he won't seek another term next year:
After months of thinking about my political future, I am announcing today that I have decided not to run for re-election in 2012. As many of you can imagine, it was a very difficult decision for me. However, I feel that the end of this Congress is the right time for me to step aside. It has been a great honor and privilege to serve the people of Hawaii. In 2006, the people of Hawaii gave me an opportunity to continue my service in the United States Senate and I fully intend to serve the last two years of my term in office.
While Akaka hadn't really said anything to indicate he wouldn't seek re-election before this announcement, he hadn't done any fundraising and his campaign account was extremely light (just $66K). Combine that, the senator's age, and his colleague Dan Inouye's recent attempt to cajole Akaka into higher gear, though, and this certainly isn't the most surprising of retirements.
What next? A whole host of Democrats are likely to be interested in Akaka's seat, including both of the state's representatives in the House, Mazie Hirono and Colleen Hanabusa. (And if either or both women get into the race, that would also set off a cascade for their House seats.) DLC Dem (and former congressman) Ed Case, who unsuccessfully attempted to primary Akaka in 2006, may also make another go at it. Mufi Hannemann, the former mayor of Honolulu who lost last year's gubernatorial primary to now-Gov. Neil Abercrombie, is another potential name, as is Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz, who, like Hanabusa, was just elected to his current post in November.
Republicans are going to have a very hard time here. Not only is native son Barack Obama going to be on the ballot next year, but 2010's brutal red tide didn't wash up on Hawaii's shores. Abercrombie won the open governor's seat by 17-point margin, and Hanabusa defeated the 1st CD's incumbent Republican by six. Still, the losers of both of those races - Duke Aiona and Charles Djou, respectively - are potential GOP candidates for this contest. But the biggest cheese is former Gov. Linda Lingle, who managed to win two terms as a Republican in this very blue state. Like most governors in the 2008 to 2010 timeframe, though, Lingle saw her popularity start to wane by the end of her second term, and even if she does get into the race, the Democratic Party will be favored.