--- title: President Obama Endorses Schatz in Hawaii Senate Race description: An Oval Office endorsement for incumbent Senator Brian Schatz in the President's home state could sway a closely contested primary to fill the late Senator Daniel Inouye’s seat. The Democratic Party has thus far been split between Schatz and Representative Colleen Hanabusa canonical: https://time.com/44352/obama-schatz-hawaii/ author: Maya Rhodan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-03-31T20:53:30.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-21T07:03:35.535Z article:section: Politics og:title: President Obama Endorses Schatz in Hawaii Senate Race og:description: An Oval Office endorsement for incumbent Senator Brian Schatz in the President's home state could sway a closely contested primary to fill the late Senator Daniel Inouye’s seat. The Democratic Party has thus far been split between Schatz and Representative Colleen Hanabusa og:url: https://time.com/44352/obama-schatz-hawaii/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1f87d9ab366945cd/69868835810bbb7e00c90c57/ap173933573352.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3516 og:image:height: 1978 og:image:alt: Brian Schatz og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: President Obama Endorses Schatz in Hawaii Senate Race twitter:description: An Oval Office endorsement for incumbent Senator Brian Schatz in the President's home state could sway a closely contested primary to fill the late Senator Daniel Inouye’s seat. The Democratic Party has thus far been split between Schatz and Representative Colleen Hanabusa twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1f87d9ab366945cd/69868835810bbb7e00c90c57/ap173933573352.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # President Obama Endorses Schatz in Hawaii Senate Race > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. 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Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=c523475b-7ec2-462a-9ecf-1634231294c8&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Mar 31, 2014 8:53 PM UTC  Senator Brian Schatz Senator Brian Schatz Carolyn Kaster—AP by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Mar 31, 2014 8:53 PM UTC President Barack Obama [endorsed](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/31/obama-backs-schatz-over-hanabusa-in-hawaii-race/) incumbent Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz on Monday, throwing his hand in a primary race that has fiercely divided Democrats in his home state. “Senator Schatz is protecting Hawaii’s values and fighting every day on behalf of middle-class families,” Obama said in a statement, according to [Fox News](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/31/obama-backs-schatz-over-hanabusa-in-hawaii-race/). “There is no question that Senator Schatz is the right choice to continue delivering for Hawaii.” Schatz is facing Representative Colleen Hanabusa in a primary preceding a general election to fill the former seat of Senator Daniel Inouye, who died in 2012\. The contest has split the party — many of Inouye’s supporters are backing Hanabusa, while younger voters and the Democratic establishment are pulling for Schatz. Inouye himself wanted Hanabusa to replace him, according to the [Washington _Post_](http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hawaii-senate-primary-is-dividing-democrats-along-ethnic-and-generational-lines/2014/01/01/fba07e98-7236-11e3-8def-a33011492df2%5Fstory.html). Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie, however, appointed then lieutenant governor Schatz to fill Inouye’s seat after the Senator’s death. Obama’s endorsement, first reported by the [Huffington Post](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/31/obama-brian-schatz-endorsement%5Fn%5F5059433.html?1396279559), should hold weight in Hawaii. Obama’s approval rating there was [61.3%](http://www.gallup.com/poll/167063/hawaiians-residents-approving-obama-2013.aspx) as of January, among his highest in the country. Senate majority leader Harry Reid also endorsed Schatz on Monday. “Brian has proven himself a champion for working families in Hawaii,” Reid said in a statement. “He has been a leader in efforts to develop clean-energy jobs and reduce the impact of climate change, and a strong advocate for ensuring a fair shot for all Americans.” \[[_Fox News_](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/31/obama-backs-schatz-over-hanabusa-in-hawaii-race/)\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/44352/obama-schatz-hawaii/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/44352/obama-schatz-hawaii/"},"headline":"President Obama Endorses Schatz in Hawaii Senate Race","datePublished":"2014-03-31T20:53:30.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T07:03:35.535Z","description":"An Oval Office endorsement for incumbent Senator Brian Schatz in the President's home state could sway a closely contested primary to fill the late Senator Daniel Inouye’s seat. 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