# 2014 United States Senate special election in Hawaii

Elections in Hawaii :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2008
2012
2016
2024
U.S. Senate elections
1959
1962
1964
1968
1970
1974
1976
1980
1982
1986
1988
1990
1990 sp
1992
1994
1998
2000
2004
2006
2010
2012
2014 sp
2016
2018
2022
2024
2028
U.S. House of Representatives elections
1959
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1st sp
1988
1990
2nd sp
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2nd sp
2003 (2nd sp)
2004
2006
2008
2010
1st sp
2012
2014
2016
1st sp
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State government
Gubernatorial elections
1959
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Senate elections
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
House of Representatives elections
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Hawaiian Kingdom era
House of Representatives
1884
1886 :
Ballot measures
1998
Amendment 2
2024
Amendment 1 :
Honolulu
Mayoral elections
2008
2010 sp
2012
2016
2020
2024 :
vte :
The 2014 United States Senate special election in Hawaii took place on November 4, 2014, the general Election Day in the United States, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Incumbent Democratic Senator Brian Schatz was appointed to the office in December 2012, following the death of longtime senator Daniel Inouye. The special election determined who would serve the remainder of Inouye's term, which ended on January 3, 2017.
The Hawaii primary elections took place on August 9, 2014, but the Democratic primary remained unresolved until August 15 due to areas affected by damage from Tropical Storm Iselle. Schatz narrowly fended off a primary challenge from U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa and then went on to defeat the Republican nominee, former state representative Campbell Cavasso, in a landslide. This was the first election since 1959 in which a non-Asian was elected to represent Hawaii in the U.S. Senate.

## Background

Daniel Inouye announced that he planned to run for a record tenth term in 2016, when he would have been 92 years old. He also said, "I have told my staff and I have told my family that when the time comes, when you question my sanity or question my ability to do things physically or mentally, I don't want you to hesitate, do everything to get me out of here, because I want to make certain the people of Hawaii get the best representation possible." Inouye died on December 17, 2012. He left a letter encouraging Governor Neil Abercrombie to appoint Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa to succeed Inouye, should he become incapacitated.
Hawaii law allows the governor to appoint an interim senator "who serves until the next regularly-scheduled general election, chosen from a list of three prospective appointees that the prior incumbent's political party submits". Abercrombie appointed the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii Brian Schatz as U.S. Senator, citing Hanabusa's seniority on the United States House Committee on Armed Services as a chief reason not to appoint her to the position.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Brian Evans, singer and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2004
* Colleen Hanabusa, U.S. Representative
* Brian Schatz, incumbent U.S. Senator

#### Declined

* Gil Kahele, State Senator
* Esther Kia'aina, deputy director of the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources

### Endorsements

Politicians
* Michael Bloomberg, former Mayor of New York City
* Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States
* Tom Harkin, U.S. Senator (D-IA)
* Barack Obama, President of the United States
* Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader (D-NV)
* John D. Waihee III, former Governor of Hawaii
* Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator (D-MA)
Organizations
* Council for a Livable World
* Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters
* League of Conservation Voters
* National Weather Service Employees Organization
* Ocean Champions
* Sierra Club
Newspapers
* Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Politicians
* Daniel Akaka, former U.S. Senator (D-HI)
* Irene Hirano, widow of Senator Inouye
Celebrities
* George Takei
Organizations
* EMILY's List

### Debates

* Complete video of debate, July 14, 2014

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Brian Schatz | Colleen Hanabusa | Other | Undecided |
| QMark Research^ | February 2013 | 500 | ± 4.38% | 32% | 54% | — | 13% |
| Clarity Campaigns^ | June 10–11, 2013 | 771 | ± 3.53% | 35% | 46% | — | 19% |
| Civil Beat | June 18–20 & 24, 2013 | 869 | ± 3.3% | 36% | 33% | 9% | 23% |
| Mellman Group* | June 26–30, 2013 | 600 | ± ?% | 38% | 37% | — | 25% |
| Civil Beat | October 9–10, 2013 | 549 | ± 4.2% | 38% | 36% | — | 26% |
| Mellman Group* | January 7–13, 2014 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 41% | 37% | — | 22% |
| Hawaii Poll | January 29 – February 3, 2014 | 528 | ± 4.3% | 40% | 48% | — | 11% |
| Civil Beat | February 12–15, 2014 | 643 | ± 3.9% | 40% | 40% | — | 20% |
| Public Policy Polling | May 9–11, 2014 | 606 | ± 4% | 49% | 34% | — | 17% |
| Civil Beat | May 18–19, 2014 | 520 | ± 4.3% | 44% | 39% | — | 16% |
| Public Policy Polling | July 23–24, 2014 | 410 | ± ? | 49% | 39% | — | 11% |
| Civil Beat | July 24–28, 2014 | 895 | ± 3.3% | 49% | 41% | — | 10% |
| Hawaii Poll | July 21–29, 2014 | 458 | ± 4.6% | 42% | 50% | — | 8% |
* * Internal poll for Brian Schatz campaign
* ^ Internal poll for Colleen Hanabusa campaign

### Delay in election result

Primary elections in Hawaii were held on August 9, 2014. However, two precincts in Puna on Hawaiʻi Island did not open due to damage from Hurricane Iselle, and the approximately 8,255 voters in those precincts instead voted on August 15. The two leading Democratic candidates, Colleen Hanabusa and Brian Schatz, were initially separated by only 1,635 votes, meaning that the outcome was officially uncertain until voting in Puna was finished. However, an analysis by Hawaii News Now showed that Hanabusa would need to win approximately 65% of the vote in the outstanding precincts to overtake Schatz, something she had not managed in any other precinct in the state. Thus, Schatz was seen as the likely winner. After voting in Puna was completed, Schatz was declared the winner by a slightly increased margin of 1,769 votes. Hanabusa conceded on August 19.

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Brian Schatz (incumbent) | 115,445 | 48.52% |
| | Democratic | Colleen Hanabusa | 113,663 | 47.77% |
| | Democratic | Brian Evans | 4,842 | 2.03% |
| | Democratic | Blank vote | 3,842 | 1.61% |
| | Democratic | Over vote | 150 | 0.06% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 237,942 | 100.00% |

## Republican primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Campbell Cavasso, former state representative and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2004 and 2010
* Harry Friel, businessman
* Eddie Pirkowski, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2006, 2010 and 2012
* John Roco, founder of Saint Damien Advocates and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and 2012

#### Declined

* Charles Djou, former U.S. Representative (running for HI-01)
* Linda Lingle, former Governor of Hawaii and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012

### Results

Vote totals listed do not include two precincts that will vote on August 15.
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Campbell Cavasso | 25,874 | 58.61% |
| | Republican | John P. Roco | 4,425 | 10.02% |
| | Republican | Harry J. Friel, Jr. | 3,477 | 7.88% |
| | Republican | Eddie Pirkowski | 2,033 | 4.60% |
| | Republican | Blank vote | 8,306 | 18.81% |
| | Republican | Over vote | 34 | 0.08% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 44,149 | 100.00% |

## Libertarian primary
### Candidates

* Michael Kokoski

### Results

Libertarian primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Libertarian | Michael Kokoski | 568 | 79.89% |
| | Libertarian | Blank vote | 143 | 20.11% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 711 | 100.00% |

## Independent primary
### Candidates

* Joy Allison
* Arturo Pacheco Reyes

### Results

Independent primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Joy Allison | 388 | 34.80% |
| | Independent | Arturo Pacheco Reyes | 184 | 16.50% |
| | Independent | Blank vote | 540 | 48.43% |
| | Independent | Over vote | 3 | 0.27% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,115 | 100.00% |
Neither of the candidates polled enough votes to meet Hawaii's strict criteria for independents to participate in the general election.

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Solid D | November 3, 2014 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe D | November 3, 2014 |
| Rothenberg Political Report | Safe D | November 3, 2014 |
| Real Clear Politics | Safe D | November 3, 2014 |

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Brian Schatz (D) | Campbell Cavasso (R) | Other | Undecided |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | July 5–24, 2014 | 1,087 | ± 3% | 58% | 22% | 15% | 5% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | August 18 – September 2, 2014 | 655 | ± 6% | 62% | 27% | 0% | 10% |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 9–10, 2014 | 750 | ± 4% | 60% | 28% | 6% | 7% |
| Civil Beat | September 11–14, 2014 | 1,055 | ± 3% | 62% | 25% | — | 13% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | September 20 – October 1, 2014 | 1,319 | ± 4% | 78% | 22% | 0% | 0% |
| Ward Research | October 11–18, 2014 | 605 | ± 4% | 71% | 20% | — | 10% |
| Civil Beat | October 16–19, 2014 | 1,221 | ± 2.8% | 55% | 29% | — | 16% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov | October 16–23, 2014 | 1,002 | ± 6% | 70% | 18% | 1% | 11% |

### Results

United States Senate special election in Hawaii, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Brian Schatz (incumbent) | 246,827 | 69.78% | −5.03% |
| | Republican | Campbell Cavasso | 98,006 | 27.70% | +6.13% |
| | Libertarian | Michael Kokoski | 8,941 | 2.52% | +1.72% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 353,774 | 100.00% | N/A |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |