Neil Abercrombie

Neil A. Abercrombie (born June 26, 1938) is an American politician and elder statesman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii. He is most notable for his service in the United States House of Representatives representing the First Congressional District of Hawaii (map) since 1991.

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Abercrombie was born in Buffalo, New York to Vera June and Donald Abercrombie.^[1] Upon graduating from Williamsville High School (now Williamsville South High School), he went on to pursue studies at Union College in Schenectady, New York. There, Abercrombie obtained his bachelor's degree in 1959 and his master's degree in 1964. He moved to Honolulu, Hawaii to become a public school teacher at various elementary and high schools in the Hawaii State Department of Education. He also pursued work as a probation officer for the Hawaii State Judiciary. While teaching, Abercrombie studied at the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he obtained his doctorate in 1974. With his doctorate, Abercrombie became a sociologist and joined the University of Hawaii System faculty as a professor.

Abercrombie first participated in a political campaign in 1970, having sought the Democratic nomination to run for the United States Senate. Unsuccessful, Abercrombie ran for the Hawaii State House of Representatives where he served from 1975 to 1979. He moved to the upper chamber winning a seat in the Hawaii State Senate where he served from 1979 to 1986. After Cecil Heftel resigned from the United States Congress in July 1986 to run for Governor of Hawaii, Abercrombie was elected in a September 1986 special election to complete Heftel's unexpired term. However, on the same day Abercrombie lost the Democratic primary for a full two-year term to Mufi Hannemann, who went on to lose to Republican Pat Saiki in the general election. Abercrombie thus served in Congress from only September 20, 1986 to January 3, 1987. [1]

Abercrombie then set his sights on a seat of the Honolulu City Council. He won the race and served from 1988 to 1990. At the end of his council tenure, Abercrombie once again ran for Congress and won in 1990, and has since been reelected eight times. In 2006 he garnered 69% of the vote against his Republican opponent Richard "Noah" Hough, an Iraq War veteran. He currently resides in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Neil Abercrombie is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

While generally compiling a liberal voting record, Abercrombie has bucked the liberal establishment on some issues, such as voting against the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act.

On October 10, 2002, Neil Abercrombie was among the 133 members of the House who voted against authorizing the invasion of Iraq.

Mr. Abercrombie is an avid weight-lifter and has a stated goal of lifting 200 lbs more than his age on each birthday. It has been reported and witnessed by other members of Congress that Mr. Abercrombie can indeed do this. On his 67th birthday, he bench pressed 268 lbs.^[2]