Ed Case

Edward Espenett Case (born September 27, 1952), popularly known as Ed Case, is a politician from Hawai'i in the United States. He currently serves the residents of the Hawai'i Second Congressional District (map (http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/hi02_109.gif)) in the United States House of Representatives as a Democrat. He was first elected in 2002 in a special election to fill the seat of the deceased Patsy T. Mink, who died of pneumonia.

Case first gained popularity in Hawai'i as majority leader of the Hawai'i State Legislature and for his reform campaign for Governor of Hawai'i in 2002.

Early Years

He was born on September 27 1952 in Hilo on the island of Hawai'i, the eldest of six children. On the Big Island, he attended Waiakea-Kai and Keaukaha Elementary Schools through the sixth grade. In 1970, Case graduated from Hawaii Preparatory Academy in Kamuela. After high school, Case attended Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, where he obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology. In 1981, Case graduated from the University of California Hastings College of Law in San Francisco with a juris doctorate, following in the footsteps of earlier generations of Case attorneys.

From 1983 to 2002, Case served at the law firm Carlsmith Ball in Honolulu where he became a partner in 1989 and managing partner in 1992. He demoted himself to partner upon winning election to Congress.

Political Life

Case got his first taste of political life as legislative assistant to Congressman and then Senator Spark Matsunaga from 1975 to 1978. In 1979, he left Washington, D.C. to become a law clerk at the Hawai'i State Department of Labor. In 1981, Case was hired by legendary Hawai'i State Supreme Court Chief Justice William S. Richardson, under whom Case served until 1982. In 1985, Case won his first election to the Manoa Neighborhood Board of Honolulu. He became its chairman in 1987, a position he held until retirement from the board in 1989.

In 1994, Case was elected to the Hawai’i State House of Representatives. In 1999, his Democratic peers elected him Majority Leader. But as Majority Leader, Case began to butt heads with the more influential, senior members of the Democratic Party in the legislature. Case led a fierce battle to reform the way the legislature spent state money and repeatedly warned that Hawai'i would be driven into a financial crisis. Those senior members called for Case's replacement as Majority Leader. Instead, Case retired from the legislature in protest saying in a floor speech on the last legislative day of 2000, "If you cannot make those choices, please get out of the way, because you are just making it harder for the rest of us." Many scholars and analysts view this event as the opening salvo that would end Democratic rule over Hawai'i for the first time in 40 years, with the election of a Republican governor in 2002. Case was seen as a hero by residents while senior Democrats looked at him with dismay.

2002 Gubernatorial Campaign

Upon leaving the Hawai'i State Legislature, Case formed a campaign structure as he set his sights on becoming the next Governor of Hawai'i in 2002. Riding on public anger over the status quo under the leadership of what came to be known as the "Old Boys' Network" of Hawai'i politics, Case confronted and challenged the early favorite in the race, Mayor of Honolulu Jeremy Harris. Case supporters were discontent with the Hawai'i Democratic Party Machine which had ruled the state for 40 years and left the economy stagnant, a machine to which Harris was closely tied.

Hawai'i residents were shocked, considering his high polling numbers, when Harris abruptly dropped from the race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Case maneuvered to gain the support of potential Harris voters when Lieutenant Governor Mazie K. Hirono dropped out of her race for Mayor of Honolulu to challenge Case for the ticket. Through the entire primary campaign season, Case and Hirono polled almost equally. Case appealed to Hawai'i residents that his campaign was one of government reform as opposed to Hirono who represented the "Old Boys' Network."

Case also faced a challenge from D. G. Anderson, a popular entrepreneur businessman and local political legend. Andy Anderson, as he was called, took on the role as the candidate of reform against the "Old Boys' Network" as Case had done. Anderson, owner of the John Dominis Restaurant and Michel's at The Colony Surf, was the former Republican chairman and aide to former Mayor of Honolulu Frank F. Fasi. Analysts said that those affiliations cost Anderson the election.

In one of the closest primary elections for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, Hirono beat Case. Hirono ran against former Republican Mayor of Maui, Linda Lingle in the general election. Lingle's campaign of reform called Agenda for New Beginnings appealed to voters and elected her governor.

2002 Special Election

Following the death of congresswoman Patsy T. Mink in September 2002, one week after the primary election, she was posthumously re-elected to Congress in November of the same year. Following her re-election, a special election was held in January 2003 to fill Mink's seat. Case was one of the contenders in the special election, going up against more than three dozen other candidates, among them: Matt Matsunaga, Colleen Hanabusa, Barbara Marumoto, Bob McDermott, and Frank Fasi. Case won the election with 43 percent of the vote.

2004 Congressional Campaign

In 2004, Case was challenged by Republican Gerald Michael Gabbard, a social conservative who had campaigned against same-sex marriage. Case won the election and is currently serving his second term in the United States House of Representatives. [1] (http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/May/10/ln/ln03a.html)

Family Life

In 1988, Case married Patricia Kahele. They had two children, James and David. They divorced in 1998. Within a few years Case would marry Audrey Nakamura, a former classmate from Hawai'i Preparatory Academy. They were reacquainted during a 30th Class Reunion. "I was in a definite, major-league crush with her for two years," Case said in an interview on the campaign trail. Case and Audrey had two children of their own, David and Megan. Today, Audrey raises all four children in their Manoa home while Case works in Congress, living in a shared apartment in Washington, D.C. During his spare time, Case reportedly enjoys hiking, camping, bodysurfing, sailing, youth soccer, reading biography and history.

External links

• Ed Case Official Campaign Site (http://www.edcase.com/)
• Ed Case Official Congressional Site (http://wwwc.house.gov/case/)
• Hawai'i Democratic Party (http://www.hawaiidemocrats.org/)
• Midweek article on Ed Case (http://www.midweek.com/coverstory/coverstory022305.html)