Rep. Young endorses Lingle despite backing Hirono in Democratic primary

Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) now has the unique distinction of having, in a way, endorsed both competitors for Hawaii's open U.S. Senate seat after penning a letter to his supporters backing former Republican Gov. Linda Lingle.

The letter comes despite Young's endorsement of Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) in the state's Democratic primary. Hirono featured Young and touted the pair's work on native issues during her primary campaign against former Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii).

But Alaska's lone House member is now saying that endorsement extended only over the Democratic primary, and he now believes Lingle would be the best choice for Hawaii to fill the seat of departing Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii).

"Bipartisanship leadership is what is lacking in the U.S. Senate and is what has brought our country to the edge of a fiscal cliff. Now more than ever Hawaii needs a real bipartisan leader to provide common sense governance to Washington, D.C.," Young says in the letter.

Ironically, Young also cited bipartisanship in his initial endorsement of Hirono.

“While Mazie and I don’t see eye to eye on everything, we’ve done something too many people in Washington refuse to cross the aisle and do: We’ve worked together,” Young said. “If you’re looking for a United States senator who doesn’t just talk about bipartisanship but actually knows how to work with Republicans and Democrats to get things done, Mazie Hirono will be that senator.”

Hirono is favored to carry the seat for Democrats, and in a poll released in late September by the Honolulu Civil Beat and MRG, held a 55-39 percent lead over Lingle.

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