Colleen Hanabusa

Colleen Hanabusa

Democratic Party

Prior offices

Hawaii State Senate District 21

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U.S. House Hawaii District 1

Successor: Mark Takai

Predecessor: Charles Djou

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Compensation

Net worth

(2012) $2,277,508.50

Elections and appointments

Last election

August 8, 2020

Education

High school

St. Andrew's Priory

Bachelor's

University of Hawaii, 1973

Graduate

University of Hawaii, 1975

Law

University of Hawaii's William S. Richardson School of Law, 1977

Personal

Religion

Buddhist

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Personal website

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Colleen Hanabusa (Democratic Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing Hawaii's 1st Congressional District. She assumed office on November 8, 2016. She left office on January 3, 2019.

Hanabusa ran for election for Mayor of Honolulu in Hawaii. She lost in the primary on August 8, 2020.

Hanabusa also represented Hawaii's 1st Congressional District from 2011 to 2015. Hanabusa served in the Hawaii State Senate, representing District 21 from 1998 to 2010.

Hanabusa ran for Governor of Hawaii in 2018, but lost in the Democratic primary on August 11, 2018.

Career

• 2011-2015, 2016-2019: United States House of Representatives, Hawaii's 1st Congressional District
• 1999-2010: Hawaii State Senate, 21st District
  • 2003-2007: Senate majority leader
  • 2007-2010: Senate president
• 1978-1998: Attorney
• 1977: Graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a J.D.
• 1975: Graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with an M.A.
• 1973: Graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a B.A.

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2017-2018

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, Hanabusa was assigned to the following committees:

• Committee on Armed Services
• Committee on Natural Resources

2013-2014

Hanabusa served on the following committees:

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Readiness
  • Subcommittee on Seapower & Projection Forces
• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs - Ranking Member
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
  • Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation

2011-2012

Hanabusa served in the following committees:

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
  • Subcommittee on Readiness
• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018

For detailed information about each vote, click here.

• Votes on domestic policy (click to expand)

  Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Conference report) (HR 2)

   Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018

  Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance through fiscal year 2023.

  Voted Nay on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2 (second vote))

   Bill Passed (213-211) on June 21, 2018

  Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance. It also proposed modifying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as the food stamp program.

  Voted Nay on: Securing America’s Future Act of 2018 (HR 4760)

   Bill Failed (193-231) on June 21, 2018

  Proposed funding a border wall, limiting legal immigration, a mandatory worker verification program, allowing DACA recipients to apply for legal status, and preventing separation of families at the border.

  Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2)

   Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018

  Reauthorizes through FY2023 and modifies some Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.

  Voted Nay on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HR 36)

   Bill Passed (237-189) on October 3, 2017

  Proposed amending the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus was 20 weeks or more. The bill provided exceptions for an abortion: (1) that was necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.

  Voted Nay on: Kate's Law (HR 3004)

   Bill Passed (257-167) on June 29, 2017

  Proposed increasing criminal penalties for individuals in the country illegally who were convicted of certain crimes, deported, and then re-entered the U.S. illegally.

  Voted Nay on: No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (HR 3003)

   Bill Passed (228-195) on June 29, 2017

  Proposed withholding federal funds from states and localities that chose not to follow federal immigration laws.

  Voted Nay on: American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628)

   Bill passed (217-213) on May 4, 2017

  Proposed modifying the budgetary and fiscal provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.

• Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand)

  Voted Yea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 6157)

   Bill Passed (361-61) on September 26, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.

  Voted Yea on: Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 5895)

   Bill Passed (377-20) on September 13, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.

  Voted Yea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 6157)

   Bill Passed (359-49) on June 28, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.

  Voted Nay on: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 5895)

   Bill Passed (235-179) on June 8, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.

  Voted Nay on: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S 2155)

   Bill Passed (258-159) on May 22, 2018

  Proposed exempting some banks from the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act

  Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625)

   Bill Passed (256-167) on March 22, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.

  Voted Yea on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)

   Bill Passed (240-186) on February 9, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018.

  Voted Nay on: Further Extension Of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1892)

   Bill Passed (245-182) on February 6, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018.

  Voted Yea on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)

   Bill Passed (266-150) on January 22, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018.

  Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)

   Bill Passed (230-197) on January 18, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 16, 2018.

  Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370)

   Bill Passed (231-188) on December 21, 2017

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018.

  Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

   Bill Passed (227-203) on December 19, 2017

  Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.

  Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes (HJ Res 123)

   Bill Passed (235-193) on December 7, 2017

  Proposed funding the government until December 22, 2017.

  Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

   Bill Passed (227-205) on November 16, 2017

  Proposed amending the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses.

  Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)

   Bill Passed (216-212) on October 26, 2017

  Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. (This bill proposed adopting the Senate's budget resolution.)

  Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)

   Bill Passed (219-206) on October 5, 2017

  Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027.

  
  

  Voted Nay on: Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3354)

   Bill Passed (211-198) on September 14, 2017

  Proposed providing FY2018 appropriations for the federal government. It combined 12 appropriations bills.

  Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601)

   Bill Passed (316-90) on September 8, 2017

  Proposed suspending the debt ceiling and funding the government until December 8, 2017, and providing funding for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts.

  Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 601)

   Bill Passed (419-3) on September 6, 2017

  Proposed providing $7.85 billion for disaster relief requirements, including response and recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey.

  Voted Nay on: Financial CHOICE Act of 2017 (HR 10)

   Bill passed (233-186) on June 8, 2017

  Proposed amending the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, among other acts.

  Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244)

   Bill passed (309-118) on May 3, 2017

  Proposed a $1.2 trillion budget to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2017.

• Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand)

  Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (HR 5515)

   Bill Passed (351-66) on May 24, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities

  Voted Nay on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695)

   Bill Passed (250-166) on January 30, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations for military functions administered by the Department of Defense and for other purposes, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018.

  
  

  Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018—Conference report (HR 2810)

   Bill Passed (356-70) on November 14, 2017

  Proposed authorizing FY2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths.

  Voted Nay on: Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3219)

   Bill Passed (235-192) on July 27, 2017

  Proposed making appropriations for defense, military construction, Veterans Affairs, the Legislative Branch, energy and water development, and for other purposes for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018.

  Voted Yea on: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364)

   Bill Passed (419-3) on July 25, 2017

  Proposed providing congressional review and measures to counter aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes.

  Voted Yea on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180, second vote)

   Bill Passed (380-35) on July 28, 2017

  Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.

  Voted Nay on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180)

   Bill Failed (241-163) on July 24, 2017

  Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.

  Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810)

   Bill Passed (344-81) on July 14, 2017

  Proposed authorizing fiscal year 2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It did not provide budget authority.

  Voted Yea on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 1301)

   Bill passed (371-48) on March 8, 2017

  The $577.9 billion fiscal year 2017 defense spending bill proposed $516.1 billion in base budget funding and $61.8 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism funding.

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

113th Congress The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Hanabusa's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections. National security DHS Appropriations Hanabusa voted against HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines. Keystone Pipeline Amendment Hanabusa voted in favor of House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines. CISPA (2013) Hanabusa voted in favor of HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party. NDAA Hanabusa voted in support of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote. Economy Farm bill On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill. The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop. However, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states. Hanabusa voted with 88 other Democratic representatives in favor of the bill. 2014 Budget On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014. The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582 page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill. The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations. It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, and the protection of the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Hanabusa joined with the majority of the Democratic party and voted in favor of the bill. Government shutdown See also: United States budget debate, 2013 On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201. At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference. Hanabusa voted against the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate. The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Hanabusa voted for HR 2775. Pay during government shutdown See also: United States budget debate, 2013 Hanabusa declined to accept her salary while the government was shutdown. Federal Pay Adjustment Act Hanabusa voted against HR 273 - Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees. The bill passed the House on February 15, 2013, with a vote of 261 - 154. The bill called for stopping a 0.5 percent pay increase for all federal workers from taking effect. The raises were projected to cost $11 billion over 10 years. Immigration Morton Memos Prohibition Hanabusa voted against House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status. The vote largely followed party lines. Healthcare Healthcare Reform Rules Hanabusa voted against House Amendment 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment was adopted by the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 227-185. The amendment requires all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be approved by Congress before taking effect. The vote was largely along party lines. Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act Hanabusa voted against HR 2009 - Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act of 2013. The bill passed through the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 232-185. The bill would prevent the IRS and Treasury Secretary from enforcing the powers provided to them in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The vote largely followed party lines. Social issues Amash amendment Hanabusa voted against House Amendment 413 - Prohibits the National Security Agency from Collecting Records Under the Patriot Act. The amendment failed on July 4, 2013, by a vote of 205-217. The amendment would have prohibited the collection of records by the National Security Agency under the Patriot Act. Both parties were split on the vote. Previous congressional sessions Fiscal Cliff Hanabusa voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. She was 1 of 172 Democrats that voted in favor of the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257 - 167 vote on January 1, 2013.

Issues

2016 presidential endorsement

✓ Hanabusa endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

See also: Endorsements for Hillary Clinton

Elections

2020

See also: Mayoral election in Honolulu, Hawaii (2020)

General election

General election for Mayor of Honolulu

Rick Blangiardi defeated Keith Amemiya in the general election for Mayor of Honolulu on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rick Blangiardi (Nonpartisan)	60.0	224,474
		Keith Amemiya (Nonpartisan)	40.0	149,735

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 374,209
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Mayor of Honolulu

The following candidates ran in the primary for Mayor of Honolulu on August 8, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rick Blangiardi (Nonpartisan)	25.6	69,661
✔		Keith Amemiya (Nonpartisan)	20.2	55,116
		Colleen Hanabusa (Nonpartisan)	18.4	50,234
		Kymberly Marcos Pine (Nonpartisan)	14.7	40,104
		Mufi Hannemann (Nonpartisan)	9.9	27,027
		William Stonebraker (Nonpartisan)	6.5	17,757
		Choon James (Nonpartisan)	2.0	5,538
		John Carroll (Nonpartisan)	0.7	2,011
		Ho Yin Wong (Nonpartisan)	0.5	1,437
		Ernest Caravalho (Nonpartisan)	0.4	1,140
		Audrey Keesing (Nonpartisan)	0.3	823
		Micah Mussell (Nonpartisan)	0.2	541
		David Bourgoin (Nonpartisan)	0.1	368
		Karl Dicks (Nonpartisan)	0.1	361
		Tim Garry (Nonpartisan)	0.1	313

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 272,431
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: Hawaii gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 and Hawaii gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 11 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for Governor of Hawaii

Incumbent David Ige defeated Andria Tupola, Jim Brewer, and Terrence Teruya in the general election for Governor of Hawaii on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		David Ige (D)	62.7	244,934
		Andria Tupola (R)	33.7	131,719
		Jim Brewer (G)	2.6	10,123
		Terrence Teruya (Nonpartisan)	1.0	4,067

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 390,843
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Hawaii

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Governor of Hawaii on August 11, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		David Ige	51.4	124,572
		Colleen Hanabusa	44.4	107,631
		Ernest Caravalho	2.3	5,662
		Wendell Ka'ehu'ae'a	0.9	2,298
		Richard Kim	0.6	1,576
		Van Tanabe	0.3	775

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 242,514
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Clayton Hee (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Hawaii

Andria Tupola defeated John Carroll and Ray L'Heureux in the Republican primary for Governor of Hawaii on August 11, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Andria Tupola	55.5	17,297
		John Carroll	35.2	10,974
		Ray L'Heureux	9.3	2,885

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 31,156
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Governor of Hawaii

Terrence Teruya defeated Selina Blackwell and Link El in the primary for Governor of Hawaii on August 11, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Terrence Teruya	47.7	543
		Selina Blackwell	43.7	497
		Link El	8.6	98

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,138
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Green primary election

Green primary for Governor of Hawaii

Jim Brewer advanced from the Green primary for Governor of Hawaii on August 11, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jim Brewer	100.0	454

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 454
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Terrence Teruya defeated Link El and Selina Blackwell in the nonpartisan primary

2016

Special election

See also: Hawaii's 1st Congressional District special election, 2016

Hawaii's 1st Congressional District held a special election to replace Mark Takai, who died on July 20, 2016, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. The election was held at the same time as the regular election on November 8, 2016. Colleen Hanabusa (D) won the election and served out the final two months of Takai's term. She defeated Peter Cross (D), Angela Aulani Kaaihue (D), Howard Kim (D), Javier Ocasio (D), Shirlene Ostrov (R), Alan Yim (L), Calvin Griffin (I), Yvonne Perry (I), and Peter Plotzeneder (I) in the election.

U.S. House, Hawaii District 1 Special Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Colleen Hanabusa	65.1%	129,083
	Republican	Shirlene Ostrov	22.2%	44,090
	Democratic	Angela Aulani Kaaihue	3%	5,885
	Libertarian	Alan Yim	2.8%	5,559
	Democratic	Howard Kim	2.1%	4,259
	Democratic	Peter Cross	1.7%	3,420
	Independent	Calvin Griffin	1.4%	2,824
	Democratic	Javier Ocasio	1%	1,893
	Independent	Yvonne Perry	0.5%	1,050
	Independent	Peter Plotzeneder	0.2%	328
Total Votes				198,391
Source: Hawaii Secretary of State

Regular election

See also: Hawaii's 1st Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Mark Takai (D) did not seek re-election in 2016. The seat was vacant following Takai's death from pancreatic cancer on July 20, 2016. Colleen Hanabusa (D) defeated Shirlene Ostrov (R), Alan Yim (L), and Calvin Griffin (I) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Hanabusa defeated six other Democratic candidates in the primary on August 13, 2016.

U.S. House, Hawaii District 1 General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Colleen Hanabusa	71.9%	145,417
	Republican	Shirlene Ostrov	22.7%	45,958
	Libertarian	Alan Yim	3.3%	6,601
	Independent	Calvin Griffin	2.2%	4,381
Total Votes				202,357
Source: Hawaii Secretary of State

U.S. House, Hawaii District 1 Democratic Primary, 2016

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Colleen Hanabusa	80.4%	74,022
Lei Ahu Isa	12.5%	11,518
Howard Kim	3%	2,750
Javier Ocasio	1.2%	1,117
Sam Puletas	1.1%	1,036
Lei Sharsh-Davis	1%	915
Steve Tataii	0.8%	737
Total Votes		92,095
Source: Hawaii Secretary of State

2014

See also: United States Senate special election in Hawaii, 2014 and Hawaii gubernatorial election, 2014

Hanabusa was late U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye's preferred successor. However on December 26, 2012, Governor Neil Abercrombie denied Inouye his deathbed request by naming his Lieutenant Governor, Brian E. Schatz (D), to fill the vacancy. Despite being picked over for the appointment, Hanabusa will run for election to the remainder of the term in 2014, when the governor is also up for election. Hanabusa announced her decision to run for the U.S. Senate seat on May 2, 2013.

As reported in The Hill on December 27, 2012, she was for a time considered a potential Democratic challenger to Abercrombie in the 2014 gubernatorial primary election.

Incumbent Brian Schatz defeated Hanabusa in the Democratic primary. Hanabusa and incumbent Brian Schatz were separated by less than one percent of the votes.

U.S. Senate, Hawaii Democratic Primary, 2014

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Brian Schatz Incumbent	49.3%	115,445
Colleen Hanabusa	48.6%	113,663
Brian Evans	2.1%	4,842
Total Votes		233,950
Source: Hawaii Office of Elections

Media

Colleen Hanabusa's first ad, released in May 2014, "Obligation."

Colleen Hanabusa's second ad, released in June 2014, "Protecting our Kupuna."

Colleen Hanabusa's third ad, released in June 2014, "Real Issues."

• Hanabusa released her first ad on May 23, 2014. The ad, a positive biographical ad, focused on her connections to the state and her middle-class roots.

• Hanabusa released her third ad on June 19, 2014. The ad emphasized her accomplishments, displayed as text on the screen. However, the amount of text in the ad was criticized as being information overload for viewers.

Endorsements

The widow of Hawaii Senator Daniel K. Inouye endorsed Democratic Rep. Hanabusa’s bid against Sen. Brian Schatz (D), a move she said honors one of the late senator’s “last requests.” In a statement Irene Hirano Inouye said, “Shortly after she was elected President of the Hawaii State Senate, Dan recognized that Colleen was more than capable of succeeding him and he began to mentor her. His last wish was that Colleen serve out his term because he was confident in her ability to step into the Senate and immediately help Hawaii. I am honoring one of his last requests, and look forward to supporting Colleen on the campaign trail.”

2012

See also: Hawaii's 1st Congressional District elections, 2012

Colleen Hanabusa for House campaign logo.

Hanabusa ran successfully for re-election to the U.S. House, representing Hawaii's 1st District in 2012. Hanabusa won the nomination on the Democratic ticket after defeating Roy F. Wyttenbach II in the primary. The signature filing deadline was June 5, 2012, with the primary taking place on August 11, 2012. Hanabusa then defeated Charles Djou (R) in the general election on November 6, 2012.

U.S. House, Hawaii District 1 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Colleen Hanabusa Incumbent	53.5%	116,505
	Republican	Charles Djou	44.5%	96,824
	n/a	Blank Votes	2.1%	4,467
Total Votes				217,796
Source: Hawaii Office of Elections "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

U.S. House, Hawaii District 1 Democratic Primary, 2012

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Colleen Hanabusa Incumbent	84.1%	92,136
Roy Wyttenbach II	15.9%	17,369
Total Votes		109,505

Full history

To view the full congressional electoral history for Colleen Hanabusa, click [show] to expand the section.
2010 On November 2, 2010, Colleen Hanabusa won election to the United States House. She defeated Charles Djou (R) in the general election. U.S. House, Hawaii District 1 General Election, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Colleen Hanabusa 53.2% 94,140      Republican Charles Djou 46.8% 82,723 Total Votes 176,863

2008

On November 4, 2008, Hanabusa was re-elected to the Hawaii State Senate from Hawaii's 21st Senate District. Hanabusa received 7,818 votes in the election, defeating Dickyj Johnson (R), who received 2,329 votes. Additionally, 509 "Blank" votes and 5 "Over" votes were cast in the election. Hanabusa raised $208,956 for her campaign; Johnson raised $1,844.

Hawaii State Senate, District 21 (2008)
Candidates		Votes	Percent
Colleen Hanabusa (D)		7,818	73.3%
Dickyj Johnson (R)		2,329	21.8%
Blank		509	4.8%
Over		5	0.0%

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Colleen Hanabusa did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2018

Campaign website

The following themes were found on Hanabusa's official campaign website.

“	Public education needs our support One of our greatest responsibilities is the education of our future generations and workforce. We must support public education and Hawaii’s teachers, from our elementary schools to our trade schools and universities. Micromanaging only impedes progress, and we must reach beyond a small clique of advisors. We must promote inclusiveness and collaboration and work collectively toward educational excellence. Hawaii needs living wages Hawaii families need jobs with living wages so they can afford to stay in Hawaii. We cannot wait another four years while our young people choose to leave the islands to seek opportunities elsewhere. The state needs to partner with Hawaii’s economic and business sectors to create more pathways to success and provide wages that will enable our future generations to raise their families surrounded by ‘ohana in the islands we love and call home. Affordable housing requires action Hawaii has one of the highest housing costs in the nation, and one of the lowest rates of homeownership. The state must embrace an active role in creating and subsidizing affordable housing, while streamlining processes that enable people to get the housing they desperately need. The state needs to move forward on transit-oriented development and stop being short-sighted by selling off affordable family and senior housing which reduces our affordable housing inventory. Addressing homelessness will take leadership The state must actively lead and show true partnership with the counties in addressing homelessness statewide. While there are no easy answers, doing nothing – or doing the same things over and over again – will only make the problem worse. I will encourage new approaches by drawing, in part, on the successes achieved in other states and cities and do so in concert with the counties, non-governmental organizations and non-profits. We need to adopt more tools, including serious consideration of safe zones, so that we are not just chasing the problem from park to park, and underpass to underpass. We must have places for the homeless to go, and to get services to those who need it. We must prepare for the future of healthcare Hawaii is fortunate to have one of the highest rates of healthcare coverage under our Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act. But, there is a growing sense we are behind on planning for the nationwide changes to healthcare and health coverage. What plans do exist remain unimplemented. We must protect the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act from any attempts to undermine it. We must also find ways to protect and improve healthcare for Hawaii’s kupuna and fund programs at levels that recognize the needs of Hawaii’s growing senior population. We deserve better airports, highways and harbors They are the transportation lifelines that connect people and businesses to each other and the world. They are essential to a healthy economy, our military and the visitor industry. Our airports must be first-class facilities that are points of pride for visitors and kamaaina. Our harbors must be modernized to lower the cost of goods to our residents and businesses. Our highways must be improved to connect our communities and sustain the growth of our economy. We have long-standing Airport Modernization Plans, Harbor Modernization Plans and a backlog of millions of federal dollars to spend on highways. I will prioritize putting these plans and dollars into action. Rail must be managed, and completed State taxes are the principle source of revenue for the Honolulu Rail Transit Project. As such, the state has a right to expect that taxpayer funds be expended appropriately and in the best interest of the taxpayers. Fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement cannot be tolerated. The state must proactively oversee the City and County of Honolulu’s expenditures of state taxpayer funds. As governor, I will take an active role advocating on behalf of the taxpayers and will work closely with the Legislature and state auditor to monitor rail progress. The state budget must reflect priorities and vision The state budget is a policy statement, a blueprint of state priorities. I will not propose budgets that are called “schizophrenic” or have lawmakers require that I go back to the drawing board. As governor, our budget will reflect the priorities of our administration and the taxpayers will be able to hold me accountable for our priorities, fiscal discipline and smart management. We must manage with competence and clarity In order to restore the public’s faith in government, we must demonstrate daily that we are getting the job done on their behalf. On my watch, I will not stand for projects to be left to drift or problems to be swept under the carpet. From priority-setting, to internal controls, to effective bidding and contracting, we can do more, because Hawai‘i deserves better.	”
—Hanabusa for Governor

2016

Campaign website

The following issues were listed on Hanabusa's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

“	Jobs and Economy: In order to keep our economy moving, we must make smart, long-term investments in our state, in our country, and in our citizens. I support funding important infrastructure and transportation projects, small business investments, and innovative research and technology that will keep Hawaii and the United States competitive in the global marketplace, and achieve energy independence. Social Security and Medicare: It is critical that we remember that although it is a large program benefitting millions in our community, Social Security does not contribute to the deficit; it has been paid for directly by hardworking Americans who have contributed to the fund with every paycheck. Our seniors paid into these accounts throughout their working lives. They earned these benefits. I strongly support these vital safety net programs and will continue my work to protect the benefits they provide our kupuna. Veterans: I am committed to helping provide veterans with the quality care they require after battle, and any services they may need in order to transition back to civilian life... I support legislation that strives to make our veterans career-ready—by providing businesses with tax credits for hiring unemployed or injured veterans and encouraging employers to provide free on-the-job training to veterans. Energy and the Environment: I joined the newly formed Defense Energy Security Caucus, a bipartisan group that focuses on educating Congress and the American people on the importance of utilizing sustainable and renewable energy solutions within the U.S. military. Because of the size of the Department of Defense’s research and development budget, our military can lead the way on sustainable energy initiatives.I also served as a member of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Caucus, which focuses on protecting our environment and developing clean, renewable energy sources. Education: We must continue to support our students from early childhood education through secondary education, and work to make college affordable and accessible to all students, regardless of their financial situations. With the rising cost of a college education, I support providing more scholarships and increasing Pell Grants for students who are committed to furthering their educations—especially those whose plans focus on careers in science, technology, math and engineering.	”
—Colleen Hanabusa's campaign website, http://www.hanabusaforhawaii.com/issues

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Colleen Hanabusa campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2016	U.S. House, Hawaii District 1	Won	$972,277	N/A**
2012	U.S. House (Hawaii, District 1)	Won	$1,290,102	N/A**
2010	U.S. House (Hawaii, District 1)	Won	$2,435,870	N/A**
Grand total			$4,698,249	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Hanabusa's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $1,444,017 and $3,111,000. That averages to $2,277,508.50, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic representatives in 2012 of $5,700,168.36. Hanabusa ranked as the 138th most wealthy representative in 2012. Between 2009 and 2012, Hanabusa's calculated net worth increased by an average of 12 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

Colleen Hanabusa Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2009	$1,665,210
2012	$2,277,508
Growth from 2009 to 2012:	37%
Average annual growth:	12%
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Hanabusa received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Retired industry.

From 2001-2014, 22.64 percent of Hanabusa's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

Colleen Hanabusa Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$7,321,040
Total Spent	$6,644,216
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Retired	$434,548
Lawyers/Law Firms	$415,028
Real Estate	$360,255
Building Trade Unions	$248,000
Sea Transport	$200,000
% total in top industry	5.94%
% total in top two industries	11.6%
% total in top five industries	22.64%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Hanabusa was a "moderate Democratic follower," as of July 29, 2014. Hanabusa was rated as a "centrist Democratic follower" in June 2013.

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Hanabusa most often voted with:

• Chris Gibson
• Dan Kildee

Hanabusa least often voted with:

• Justin Amash
• Jim Matheson

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Hanabusa missed 122 of 2,703 roll call votes from January 2011 to July 2014. This amounts to 4.5 percent, which is better than the median of 2.5 percent among current congressional representatives as of July 2014.

Congressional staff salaries

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Hanabusa paid her congressional staff a total of $895,446 in 2011. She ranked 26th on the list of the lowest paid Democratic representative staff salaries and ranked 142nd overall of the lowest paid representative staff salaries in 2011. Overall, Hawaii ranked 40th in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year.

2013

Hanabusa ranked 127th in the liberal rankings in 2013.

2012

Hanabusa ranked 143rd in the liberal rankings in 2012.

2011

Hanabusa ranked 76th in the liberal rankings in 2011.

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Hanabusa voted with the Democratic Party 95.0 percent of the time, which ranked 34th among the 204 House Democratic members as of July 2014.

2013

Hanabusa voted with the Democratic Party 96.3 percent of the time, which ranked 25th among the 201 House Democratic members as of June 2013.

Scorecards

Hawaii Grassroot Institute

See also: Hawaii Grassroot Institute Scorecard

The Grassroot Institute issued its 2010 Legislative Score Card that tallied the votes of Hawaii legislators and graded their votes based on the Institute's values of individual liberty, free markets, and limited government. The Institute observed state legislators' votes on issues involving taxes, spending, scope of government, business climate and raids on special funds. Hanabusa received a total score of 5%. Here are the scores Hanabusa received based on specific categories.

2010 Hawaii Senate Legislative Scorecard
Taxes	Business climate	Spending	Individual liberty	Raids	Scope of government
0%	0%	0%	67%	0%	0%

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Hanabusa is married to Honolulu businessman John Souza.

See also

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Mark Takai	U.S. House of Representatives - Hawaii District 1 2016-2019	Succeeded by Ed Case (D)
Preceded by Charles Djou	U.S. House of Representatives - Hawaii District 1 2011–2015	Succeeded by Mark Takai
Preceded by '	Hawaii State Senate - District 21 1998–2010	Succeeded by Maile Shimbukuro