Ed Case

In 1994, Case ran for Hawaii's 23rd House district. He won the Democratic primary with 51% of the vote in a five-candidate field.[9] In the general election, he defeated Green party nominee Toni Worst 59%–41%.[10] In 1996, he was reelected with 67% of the vote.[11] In 1998, he was reelected to a third term with 70% of the vote.[12] In 2000, he was reelected to a fourth term unopposed.[13]

Case served four two-year terms in the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1994 to 2002, where he focused on basic change in Hawaii governance. In 1999, after he led an effort to replace the State House leadership, his Democratic peers elected him Majority Leader.

A conservative Democrat by Hawaii standards, Case sought to change the way state government operated and repeatedly warned that Hawaii was not addressing long-term fiscal challenges. On the last legislative day of 2000, he said in a floor speech: "If you cannot make those choices, please get out of the way, because you are just making it harder for the rest of us."[14]

On January 21, 1997, in the House Judiciary Committee, Case cast the lone vote against advancing HB117, which would allow a referendum to effectively constitutionally ban gay marriage.[15] He and six others opposed the bill again in the full House vote.[16] When he was up for reelection in November 1998, he publicly opposed the referendum because, he said, "changing the Constitution would go against its intended purpose—protecting the rights of the minority against the will of the majority."[15] Leading up to the November election, polls consistently predicted that the measure would pass by 70–75%, a prediction that was accurate.[17] Due to the measure's popularity, only three other politicians or candidates in Hawaii joined his position.[18]

In 2001, Case co-sponsored an unsuccessful civil unions bill.[19]

• House Judiciary Committee

U.S. Representative Patsy Mink died on September 28, 2002, one week after the primary election, leaving her 107th Congress (2001–2003) seat vacant. She was posthumously reelected to the 108th Congress (2003–2005) in November. On November 30, 2002, Case was elected in a special election to serve the remaining two months of Mink's term, gaining over 50% of the vote in a field of over 40, even though he did not live in the district. Members of the House are only constitutionally required to live in the state they represent, though convention calls for them to live in the district they represent. During the special election campaign, Case pointed out that he grew up on the Big Island.

Case ran in a second special election on January 4, 2003, for Mink's 108th Congress seat, facing more than three dozen other candidates. Other Democrats included Matt Matsunaga and Colleen Hanabusa. Republicans included Barbara Marumoto, Bob McDermott, and Frank Fasi. Case won with 43% of the vote.

In 2004, Case defeated Republican challenger Mike Gabbard, a social conservative who focused almost exclusively on gay marriage issues. He won his first full term with 63% of the vote.[20]

In June 2018, Case ran in the crowded Democratic primary, set for August 11.[21] He won with 40% of the vote, defeating six other challengers, including Doug Chin, the incumbent lieutenant governor.[22] In the general election, Case carried Hawaii's 1st congressional district by a 50-point margin, 73.1%—23.1%,[23] defeating Republican Campbell Cavasso.

He was reelected in 2020 with 72.02% of the vote, defeating Republican Ron Curtis.[24]

Case sponsored 36 bills between 2003 and 2006. Of those bills, Congress passed H.Con.Res.218 recognizing 100 years of Filipino-American immigration to America, the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park Addition Act (H.R.546 / Public Law No. 108-142), legislation (H.R. 2030 / Public Law No: 108-5) designating the U.S. Postal Service facility in Paia, Hawaii, as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Post Office Building, and the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act (H.R. 2619 / Public Law No. 108-481). Two of his other bills were included in subsequent legislation. H.R. 3535, to include country of origin labeling for macadamia nuts, was included in the 2008 Farm Bill. Hirono reintroduced the Kalaupapa Memorial Act (H.R. 4529), which she added to Public Law No. 111-11.

Case entered the House of Representatives too late to cast a vote on the Iraq War Resolution, but supported the Iraq War throughout his tenure in the House. As late as 2006, he opposed a firm timetable for withdrawal.[25]

Case often sided with Republicans on major tax legislation. He was one of only 34 Democrats (who sided with 196 Republicans) to support reducing the estate tax.[26] He also was one of 15 Democrats (who sided with 229 Republicans) to support lower taxes on investment income.[27]

In 2005, Case voted for an amendment by Jeb Hensarling that would eliminate funding for PBS, NPR, and Title X family planning, including money for Planned Parenthood. He was the only Democrat to support the amendment, which failed 102–320.[28][29]

Case also introduced the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National Marine Refuge Act (H.R. 2376), which would have protected the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands by making them a national marine refuge. In June 2006, President George W. Bush achieved much of the bill's goals by issuing a public proclamation creating the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument under the authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906.

Case co-sponsored 808 bills during the same period. He missed 148 (6%) of 2435 votes in his tenure.[30]

Case rejoined the Blue Dog Coalition on January 29, 2019.[31]

On July 25, 2019, Case, Don Young, Brad Sherman and Ted Yoho founded the Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus in order to increase Congressional attention to the Indo-Pacific region.[32] The caucus was also formed to encourage greater education for House members on the unique environmental, defense and economic issues of island nations and states in the Pacific Ocean.

On August 27, 2019, Case introduced H.R. 4547, the Safe and Quiet Skies Act. The bill would regulate tour airplane and helicopter flights and, among other things, set decibel limits over residential neighborhoods, prohibit overflights of military facilities, national parks, and residential areas by air tours and require a sterile cockpit.[33] The introduction followed two fatal air tour helicopter crashes in Hawaii that killed 14 people.[34]

On December 18, 2019, Case voted to impeach President Donald Trump.[35]

In August 2021, Case joined a group of conservative Democrats, dubbed "The Unbreakable Nine", who threatened to derail the Biden administration's $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package meant to tackle the nation's infrastructure.[36]

For the 118th Congress:[37]

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Defense
  • Subcommittee on Homeland Security
• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
  • Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries

Case's caucus memberships include:[38]

• Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (executive board member)
• New Democrat Coalition
• Blue Dog Coalition[39]