Couple this bit of news from Hawaii with the retirement of Robert Wexler – with his seat unoccupied for the next few months — and suddenly the margin of victory for health care disappears:
HONOLULU — Cash-strapped Hawaii can’t afford to pay for an election to replace a congressman who is planning to step down next month to run for governor, potentially leaving 600,000 urban Honolulu residents without representation in Washington, D.C.
Budget cuts have left the state Office of Elections with about $5,000 to last until July, with a special election costing nearly $1 million, interim Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago said.
Until the state finds money or this fall’s regularly scheduled elections occur, one of Hawaii’s two seats in the House of Representatives will remain vacant.
U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, a Democrat, announced last week he will resign Feb. 28. I guess Pelosi has either a new deadline to pass health care, or a need to twist some more arms in her caucus . . .