Democratic Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawaii, emerged victorious in the state’s primary elections, securing his path to a likely sixth full term in the House of Representatives. Case, a moderate Democrat, has represented Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District since his win in the 2018 midterm elections.
This victory comes after Case faced off against primary challenger Cecil Hale, who did not disclose campaign finance data to the Federal Election Commission. Despite the competition, Case raised nearly $120,000 in individual contributions and ended the primary cycle with almost $260,000 cash on hand.
Case is no stranger to crowded primary elections, having bested a field of 44 candidates in 2002 to replace Rep. Patsy Mink for her final two months in office. He also won a seven-way primary for his current seat in 2018.
The congressman made headlines recently when he joined dozens of House Democrats in calling on President Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, citing concerns about the 81-year-old leader’s ability to serve another four-year term. Case clarified that his decision was based on Biden’s age and not his character or record.
With Hawaii being a safe blue stronghold for Democrats, Case’s likely victory in November is seen as a positive development for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is seeking to flip the House blue. Republican Patrick Largey is running unopposed for the Republican nomination to challenge Case in the general election.
Overall, Case’s win in the primary sets the stage for a competitive race in November, as he looks to secure another term representing Hawaii in the House of Representatives.
