Elections 2012 Special Report: Hawaii's 1st Congressional District 'safe Democrat'

It's deja vu all over again in the race for Hawaii's 1st Congressional District, which was vacated in 2010 when 20-year Congressman Neil Abercrombie resigned in a successful run for the state governorship. Both of the major contenders for the district representing Honolulu and urban Oahu have held that office before.

Fundraising and campaigning have gotten off to a slow start in the race, as both the Democrat, current U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, and the Republican, former U.S. Rep. Charles Djou, are expected to easily win their respective Aug. 11 primaries before the pair face off in the Nov. 6 general election.

Incumbent Hanabusa reported individual contributions of $500,096 in the first quarter of 2012, and another $284,561 from PACs. GOP challenger former U.S. Rep. Charles Djou reported $231,446 in individual contributions and $19,300 from PACs, according to the Federal Election Commission.

The race is expected to be a rematch of 2010, when Djou was the incumbent after winning a special election in May of that year to fill the vacancy. The Republican candidate won in a three-way winner-take-all election featuring one Republican and two Democrats.

Both of Hawaii's 2012 House seats are considered "safe Democrat" by political prognosticator Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball.

The other Democrat  from the 2010 special election, former U.S. Rep. from Hawaii's 2nd District, Ed Case, is now running for U.S. Senate. About that race.

Charles Djou
Party: Republican
Island: Oahu
Campaign phone: 808. 224.5627
Website: http://www.djou.com/
Political Experience: U.S. Rep. Hawaii's 1st District, 2010-2011; Honolulu City Council, 2002-2010; state House, 2000-2002, Vice Chairman of the Hawaii Republican Party 1998-1999
Other experience: U.S. Army Reserve, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Infantry Division at Forward Operating Base Pasab in Kandahar Province
Education: University of Southern California Law School, law degree, 1996. University of Pennsylvania, B.A. in political science, B.S. in economics, magna cum laude, from the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, 1992
Personal: Born Aug. 9, 1970, Married to Stacey Kawasaki, three children.

Colleen Hanabusa
Party: Democrat
Island: Oahu
Campaign phone: 808. 430.1981
Website: http://www.hanabusaforhawaii.com/
Political Experience: U.S. Rep. Hawaii's 1st District, 2010-2012; state Senate, 1998-2010, Senate president 2006-2010, first woman to lead either house of the Hawaii Legislature
Other experience: Labor law attorney, 1978-2012
Education: University of Hawaii at Manoa, law degree 1977, M.A. sociology 1975, B.A. economics and sociology, 1973
Personal: Married to Honolulu businessman John Souza

Other candidates:
Charles Amsterdam, Republican, Oahu, 808. 550-4994
John "Raghu" Giuffre, Republican, Oahu, https://www.facebook.com/RaghuForCongress
Roy Wyttenbach II, Democrat, Oahu, https://www.fa cebook.com/roy.wyttenbach