Rep. Colleen Hanabusa

Party: Democrat
State: Hawaii - 1st District
What you need to know: Hanabusa is a supporter of President Obama’s vision of a world free of nuclear weapons.

Democrat - Incumbent
Endorsed for U.S. House of Representatives by Council for a Livable World Candidate Fund

In May 2010, a special election was held for Hawai‘i’s 1st Congressional District to fill the vacancy left by Congressman Neil Abercrombie who stepped down to run for governor. While the district is heavily Democratic, the two Democratic candidates, Colleen Hanabusa and Ed Case, split the vote, which allowed Republican Charles Djou to win the seat with a plurality of 39% of the vote. Democrats united around Hanabusa for the November election, when, running with an endorsement from Council for a Livable World’s PeacePAC, she decisively defeated Djou. Now, Djou is challenging Hanabusa once again.

The contrast between Djou and Hanabusa on national security issues is stark. During Djou’s short time in office he voted for funding the Joint Strike Fighter and against bringing U.S. troops home from Afghanistan. Pointing to the large military presence in Hawai’i, Djou is committed to robust military spending.

Hanabusa’s views on the military are more nuanced, and have been refined through her service on the House Armed Services Committee. She welcomes the Obama administration’s effort to turn away from the failed policies of George W. Bush:

“As we reevaluate our new military strategy following the death of Osama bin Laden, it is critical that we bring home our men and women in uniform safely as we withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq. We must preserve a ready and vigilant force at home and abroad, but we cannot continue to risk American lives.”

Hanabusa recognizes that with its extensive deployment around the world the military is increasingly becoming the face of America abroad, and the risks inherent in this:

“I contend that the military has assumed a role in world politics that goes well beyond the defensive. Our armed forces are no longer just the military of the most powerful nation in the world; they’re also our ambassadors to the world and the individuals responsible for embodying and conveying American beliefs, values and strategies. When we deploy our troops to Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, we are sending armed representatives of our nation to interact with cultures and communities that know very little about the United States.”

Hanabusa is a supporter of President Obama’s vision of a world free of nuclear weapons. She supports ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, removing nuclear weapons from “hair trigger alert,” and the goal of cleaning out or locking down loose nuclear materials that terrorists could use to make a nuclear weapon. She is opposed to building a new generation of nuclear weapons or placing weapons in space.

Hanabusa defeated Djou once before and this is a liberal district, but Republicans would like to make an example of defeating a Democrat in President Obama’s home district. They will spend freely to defeat Hanabusa, and she needs your support.

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