About Neil Abercrombie

Neil Abercrombie calls his run for governor "the culmination of a lifetime of public service." His life and career reveal a boundless desire to serve the people of Hawaii and to help it become the place that all who love Hawaii imagine it can and should be.


HAWAII BECOMES HOME

He was born in Buffalo, New York. His father (George "Don") was a food manufacturer's rep and his mother (Vera) was a Kindergarten teacher. His Grandpa George Abercrombie ran the horse stable for Iroquois Brewery. His Grandpa George Grader had a coal truck delivery business. A family ethic of hard work pushed Neil to become a multiple letter winner in track and swimming, a first team Division I all-star in football, and a New York State Regents Scholar for academic excellence.

After earning a Bachelors Degree in Sociology from Union College, Neil moved to Hawaii to study at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Once here, he never left. To support himself he worked as a waiter at Chuck's Steak House in Waikiki, a locker desk clerk at Central YMCA, a custodian at Mother Rice Preschool, a probation officer, and a construction apprentice program director. He earned a Masters Degree in Sociology and later a PhD in American Studies. All the while, he was being touched by the stories and the diversity around him. Neil held on to his humble New York roots, but he also let himself be fully embraced by Hawaii. Like so many others at the time, Neil began to see a vision of Hawaii as a beacon of peace and prosperity for the world to see.


PUBLIC SERVICE IN HAWAII

Neil got to work on building that Hawaii, first as an elementary school teacher and then as a professor at the University. In 1970, feeling the weight of the nation's problems, he made a bold but unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate. Undeterred, Neil ran for and was elected to the Hawaii Legislature where he served in the State House of Representatives from 1975 to 1979 and in the State Senate from 1979 to 1986. While in state government, he earned a reputation as a tenacious fighter for working people and the disadvantaged. In 1986, Neil won a special election to fill the vacated office of Congressman Cec Heftel, but lost in the primary election to remain in that seat. He served in Congress for only three and a half months. Again, undeterred, Neil served as a member of the Honolulu City Council from 1988 to 1990 where he once again displayed a natural ability to grasp the issues that affect the lives of everyday people.


NEIL GOES TO WASHINGTON

In 1990, Neil was elected to represent Hawaii's first Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives where he serves to this day. In Washington D.C., Neil has displayed a brand of leadership that is both wise with experience and outspoken with conviction. As chairman of the Armed Forces Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces, he has built strong trust relationships on both sides of the aisle to ensure that the nation cares for and honors the men and women of the armed forces. As a senior member on the Natural Resources Committee, Neil works tirelessly to protect our national parks, forests, wilderness areas, oceans, natural resources, and the interests of the indigenous people of our nation. Over the years, Neil has helped secure billions of dollars worth of investments into Hawaii's economy including efforts to establish knowledge-based industries, building human capital through programs in education and health, and developing the transportation infrastructure. Most recently, Neil had been a tireless critic of the policies of former President Bush, even when it was unpopular to be one. He was opposed to the Iraq War from the start and authored the first bipartisan bill to end the war.


TODAY - A CALL TO ACTION

During his years at the University of Hawaii, Neil befriended fellow students Ann Dunham and Barack Obama, Sr. They were a lot alike—people from far away places learning from and being changed by Hawaii. Neil welcomed the birth of their son, then known as Barry Obama. You know what happened after that. If Barack Obama's journey to the White House was inspiring to you, Neil experienced it ten-fold. Neil was one of the first people in the nation to support Barack Obama's candidacy and he served as the Honorary Chair of the Hawaii Obama Campaign. The election of his friend, who shares his vision of the world, was not just a moment of pride; it was a call to action. President Obama is calling on all of us to make a deeper commitment to serve our nation and our people, and yes, even a U.S. Congressman can make a bigger commitment. For Neil, the highest honor is to serve Hawaii in the best way he can. After deep reflection on his own experience and abilities, and a hard look at the enormous challenges facing Hawaii today, it has become clear to Neil that his mission right now is to run for Governor, lead a movement of change, and make long strides toward that vision of Hawaii—the beacon of hope—that fills our best dreams.


A LIFETIME OF COMMITMENT

Despite his remarkable achievements, Neil leads a simple life. After nearly 30 years of saving, he was finally able to buy a home in Hawaii 11 years ago in Manoa where he lives with his wife, Dr. Nancie Caraway along with their cat, Che and dog, Kanoa. When home from Washington D.C. he lifts weights at the Nuuanu YMCA where he listens to one of Hawaii's most vocal focus groups—the Nuuanu Y locker room gang.

Looking back, it is easy to take Neil's career in public service for granted. But think about it: How did this man—a person who is not the kind of polished and predictable politician we have come to expect—become such an effective advocate for Hawaii? Part of it is Neil's instincts for doing what is right even if political pundits say otherwise. But the other part is something unique to Hawaii. Neil is living proof of what we can do when we first let Hawaii into our hearts and then live it out loud, standing by our values, and staying true to form.