Incumbent Democrat Daniel Akaka won re-election to his third full term.

[1] If a Senator were to die, Hawaii election law requires that the governor appoint a replacement of the same party.

[2] Case's words would prove prescient, as Akaka would retire just over two weeks after Inouye's death in 2012.

Hawaii's other members of Congress, Inouye and Rep. Neil Abercrombie, pledged their support to Akaka.

[3] Hawaii State Representative Cynthia Thielen was selected to be the Republican nominee after Jerry Coffee, who had previously withdrawn his candidacy, won the primary.