After U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin won a second term in 2002, he asked U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye to escort him to the swearing-in ceremony because of his great respect for the Hawaii icon.
The Illinois Democrat said this week, "It’s hard for me to put in words what I think about Danny Inouye."
But Durbin and other top Senate Democrats are supporting U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate over U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, Inouye’s preferred successor. Inouye, just before he died in December 2012, had urged Gov. Neil Abercrombie to appoint Hanabusa as his replacement but the governor chose Schatz — the lieutenant governor — instead.
"I know what his wishes were but I have tried to make this choice based on actual performance," Durbin said during a visit to Hawaii this week. "And I think Brian has done an exceptional job for the state. I think he deserves an opportunity to serve a six-year term."
Durbin, who as majority whip is the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate behind Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., appeared at a fundraiser for Schatz on Tuesday and toured military installations as a guest of U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has backed Schatz in the primary and several senators have donated to Schatz’s campaign. Senators have a fraternal interest in protecting their own, but the support has given Schatz a basis for arguing that he has forged important relationships during his short time in the chamber.
Hanabusa contends that she is the more experienced legislator and would be more effective than Schatz. She has the support of many of the state lawmakers who had worked with her when she was in the state Legislature, along with retired U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, former Gov. George Ariyoshi and former Gov. Ben Cayetano.
Durbin spoke with Hanabusa at a Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii military affairs council reception on Monday.
"I’m not campaigning against her. I want to make that clear," he said. "I’m campaigning for Brian."
Democrats and independents hold 55 seats in the Senate, while Republicans control 45 seats. National political analysts say the GOP has a chance to reclaim the chamber in midterm elections, particularly if President Barack Obama’s low job approval ratings drag down Democratic candidates. The Hawaii-born president remains popular here. A new Hawaii Poll released this week by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Hawaii News Now showed Obama’s job approval in the islands at 67 percent.
Durbin said Democrats expect an "overwhelming investment" by Karl Rove, a national Republican strategist, and David and Charles Koch, billionaires who help finance Republican causes, to help the GOP take power in the Senate. Republicans are expected to keep control of the U.S. House.
"So we’re going to be swamped with money," he said. "But we feel our candidates are quality candidates and that we can not only maintain but perhaps grow our majority in the Senate."
