Hawaii lieutenant gov. picked to fill Senate seat


December 26, 2012 at 8:54p.m.

Hawaii lieutenant gov. picked to fill Senate seat

HONOLULU (AP) — Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz of Hawaii was appointed today to succeed the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced the appointment after receiving a list of three candidates from the state Democratic Party earlier in the day. The other candidates were U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa and Esther Kiaaina, a deputy director in the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Inouye died Dec. 17 of respiratory complications at the age of 88. He had sent Abercrombie a letter that day, saying he would like Hanabusa, 61, to succeed him.