Inouye’s Senate seat filled

3 finalists, Hawaii’s governor picks Lt. Gov. Schatz

— Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Wednesday appointed Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz to succeed the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye.

Abercrombie announced the appointment after receiving a list of three candidates from the state Democratic Party on Wednesday.

Hawaii Democrats offered Schatz, U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, and Department of Land and Natural Resources Deputy Director Esther Kiaaina as final nominees for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat.

Hanabusa, Schatz and Kiaaina emerged from a field of 14 candidates. Earlier Wednesday, 13 of the 14 candidates briefly made their cases to the state party’s central committee in a meeting at the party’s headquarters in a small mall east of downtown Honolulu. Those not present made their cases in video messages, including Hanabusa, a front-runner for the job thanks to Inouye himself.

The committee then met in private to name three finalists, picking the first three candidates who received majority support from the committee.

Under Hawaii law, the governor makes the final selection from the narrowed crop.

The state party got to pick three candidates because Inouye, who died last week, was a Democrat.

Before he died last week of respiratory complications at the age of 88, Inouye pushed to be replaced by Hanabusa. He told Abercrombie in a letter it was his last wish.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had urged governor to make his selection quickly so that the new senator could take part in important votes at the end of theyear.

Schatz will serve into 2014, when an election will be held to fill the seat through 2016, the end of Inouye’s elected term.

Schatz, 40, is a former state lawmaker and a former chairman of the state Democratic Party.

Hanabusa, 61, said in a video message played at the Wednesday morning meeting that she was honored to have Inouye’s support and she was qualified to assume the seat and hit the ground running.

“Not one of us has any favorable rights to that position,” she said.

Schatz had said that if appointed, he would try to make being a U.S. senator his life’s work. Both he and incoming U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, 31, stressed the need to build up seniority over decades.

Gabbard spent part of Christmas Day Tweeting and sharing messages of support for her candidacy through her campaign website. Among others, Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker said on Twitter that Gabbard should get the appointment.

Kiaaina lost a primary race to Gabbard earlier this year.

The meeting included some lighter moments as long-shot candidates took turns pleading their cases.

Timothy Hogan, the first candidate to speak, said he was a party faithful who would not run again in 2014.He said he wanted to serve as a “caretaker” for the seat for the party.

A woman who had called into the meeting by phone responded: “What about the seniority of the seat, you idiot,” which drew gasps, laughs and calls from the audience to ask those who called in to mute their lines.

Another candidate, Antonio Gimbernat, called in from Maui and described himself as 44 years old, heterosexual, single with no kids and someone who likes to surf and play the ukulele.

He said he has been sober for 12 years.

“TMI, dude,” responded an audience member in the room.

Front Section, Pages 4 on 12/27/2012

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