Ed Case

About the Ed Case

Edward Espenett Caseis an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served as the U.S. representative for Hawaii’s 1st congressional district since 2019, which covers the urban core of Honolulu. He represented the 2nd district, which covers the rest of the state, from 2002 to 2007.

Case first came to prominence in Hawaii as majority leader of the Hawaii State Legislature and in his 2002 campaign for governor of Hawaii, when he was a Blue Dog Democrat. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2002 in a special election to fill the seat of Patsy Mink, who died of pneumonia, Case represented Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district until 2006, when he unsuccessfully challenged Daniel Akaka in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate.

In 2010, Case was one of two Democratic candidates in the special election for Hawaii’s 1st congressional district. With the Democratic vote split, Republican Councilman Charles Djou’s 39% of the vote earned him the seat. Case ran again in the Democratic primary for the November general election, but suspended his campaign in May. Colleen Hanabusa, Case’s fellow Democrat in the special election, won the primary and the general election against Djou. Case again ran for the Senate in 2012 after Akaka announced his retirement, but lost to Mazie Hirono.

In July 2013, Case announced that he was joining Outrigger Enterprises Group and that his political career was “likely” over. In June 2018, Case announced he would run again in Hawaii’s 1st congressional district. He won the crowded Democratic primary election in August and the general election. He took office in January 2019.