2002 Gubernatorial Election
In early 2001, at the beginning of his fourth term in the Hawaii State House, Case chose not to continue as Majority Leader. In October 2001, Case announced his candidacy for Governor of Hawaii in 2002. Case's initial opponent was the early favorite in the race, Mayor of Honolulu Jeremy Harris, also a Democrat. Case supporters were discontented with the "Democratic Party of Hawaii machine" that had ruled the state for 40 years and perceived to have left the economy stagnant, a "machine" to which Harris was closely tied.
Despite high polling numbers, Harris abruptly dropped out of the race in May 2002 because of ongoing campaign spending investigations. Lieutenant Governor Mazie K. Hirono dropped out of her race for Mayor of Honolulu to challenge Case in the primary. A later entrant into the Democratic primary was D. G. "Andy" Anderson, the former Republican state chair and aide to former Honolulu Mayor Frank F. Fasi. Case told Hawaii voters that his campaign was one of government reform and the future as opposed to Hirono and Anderson who represented the "Old Boys' Network" and a status quo past.
In one of the closest primary elections for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Hawaii history, Hirono beat Case, 41% to 39%, with Anderson a distant third. In the general election, Hirono faced Republican Linda Lingle in the general election; Lingle's campaign reform theme was called Agenda for New Beginnings; Lingle won.
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