After Ed Case made his Senate bid official last week, we weren’t the only ones who wondered whether he’d once again butt heads with Sen. Dan Inouye, who took offense to Case’s primary challenge against Sen. Akaka in 2006.

Not so, the senior Senator told POLITICO recently. “I will not force anyone to run for this or that, and I will not take sides in the primary,” Inouye said. “This is for the voters to decide. If the people of Hawaii decide Ed Case is going to be the nominee, I’ll vote for him.”

That’s good news for Case, and potentially bad news for other possible candidates — including Rep. Colleen Hanabusa — who might have benefited from a high-profile endorsement. No doubt Dems are gun shy after last year’s special election to replace Neil Abercrombie, when Case and Hanabusa split the vote, allowing Republican Charles Djou to slip in.

Tags: Ed Case, Hawaii Senate Race, Sen. Dan Akaka, Sen. Dan Inouye

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