"Historic Upset" in Hawaii as Obama Backed Democrat Goes Down

The Hawaii Reporter calls the defeat of Gov. Neil Abercrombie in the Democrat primary a “historic upset” and attribute the loss to his having lost touch with base voters. Abercrombie enjoyed support from both  nions and Barack Obama, who himself has ties to Hawaii.

In a historic moment in Hawaii’s political history, Senate Ways and Means Chair David Ige beat incumbent Gov. Neil Abercrombie in the Democratic Primary election, Saturday, Aug. 8, with 66 percent of the vote to Abercrombie’s 30.9 percent. In total, Ige received 143,835 votes to Abercrombie’s 67,368 votes. 

Abercrombie, who was backed by a number of unions and President Barack Obama, congratulated Ige late Saturday night at his headquarters and promised to fully back Ige in the coming general election. 

The intra-party defeat, this one of a prominent Democrat, beings tomind the recent deafeat of prominent Republican Eric Cantor, who also stood accused of having lost touch with his base voters.

Former Gov. Ben Cayetano said he believes Gov. Neil Abercrombie stunning defeat happened because Abercrombie lost touch with his base.
Former Gov. Ben Cayetano said he believes Gov. Neil Abercrombie stunning defeat happened because Abercrombie lost touch with his base. 

Abercrombie has also lost favor with his supporters in part because he reversed his positions on key issues with explaining why, Cayetano said.

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