Hawaii, Alaska ‘opposites attract’ in Senate race

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono’s campaign this week released a 90-second ad, entitled “Opposites Attract,” featuring the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska.

The start of the ad recalls a spot from several years ago in which then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, and Republican Newt Gingrich sat side by side, saying they don’t agree on all issues but agree on the need for the country to address climate change.

It is at-times playful with Young jokingly asking to speak his mind about Pelosi, and drives home a message of bipartisanship and how Hirono and Young have worked together on issues important to Alaska and Hawaii.

“But here’s what’s important, Hawaii,” Young says in the ad. “If you’re looking for a United States senator who doesn’t just talk about bipartisanship but actually knows how to work with both Republicans and Democrats to get things done, Mazie Hirono will be that senator.”

“Hawaii needs you,” he says later.

“Whatever his generous endorsement may mean for my Senate campaign, what matters most to me is that our bipartisan relationship helps solve problems for the people of Hawaii,” Hirono said in a statement. “Ours is an example of friendly cooperation and meaningful collaboration that Washington must follow, especially in challenging times like these.”

There is a history of congressional members from Hawaii and Alaska working together to ensure the needs of the country’s two youngest states are met. Sens. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, worked together from the time their states were territories, and at Stevens’ funeral in 2010, Inouye said his and Stevens’ relationship epitomized bipartisanship as they both knew they had to work together to make progress.

Young and Hirono sat together at this year’s State of the Union address, and talk of an endorsement grew from there, Young spokesman Luke Miller said.

“The endorsement had little to do with party affiliation but rather who will best represent the people of Hawaii in the U.S. Senate and work across party lines … on issues important to Alaska,” Miller said in an email. He said it

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