Neil Abercrombie (born June 26, 1938) is an American politician who served as the seventh governor of Hawaii from 2010 to 2014.

Born in Buffalo, New York, Abercrombie is a graduate of Union College and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Abercrombie served nine consecutive terms in the House from 1993 to 2010, representing Hawai'i's 1st congressional district, consisting of urban Honolulu.

Abercrombie went on to face Republican nominee, Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona, in the general election.

His paternal great-grandfather James Abercrombie left Ireland for Canada; his son then immigrated to the United States.

[2] After graduating from Williamsville High School (now Williamsville South High School), Abercrombie pursued studies in sociology at Union College in Schenectady, New York, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1959 and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

[4] At the university he befriended and attended classes with President Barack Obama's parents, Ann Dunham and Barack Obama, Sr.[5] To support himself as a graduate student, Abercrombie worked as a waiter at Chuck's Steak House in Waikīkī, a locker desk clerk at the Central YMCA, a custodian at Mother Rice Preschool, a construction apprentice program director, an elementary school teacher, and a college lecturer.

Abercrombie was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and compiled a generally liberal voting record.

Abercrombie met with business people, entrepreneurs, economists, principals, teachers, parents, academics, public employees, farmers, nonprofit leaders, health professionals, students, seniors, conservationists, cultural practitioners, construction workers, and citizens of all backgrounds.

He also held dozens of issue forums and meetings on every island to hear from residents about their concerns and hopes for Hawai'i.

[20] Abercrombie defeated his challenger, former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, in the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial primary election on September 18, 2010, 59.3% to 37.7%.

[24][25] In his November 3 victory speech, he credited many people for his success, including the founder of the Department of Religion at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Dr. Mitsuo Aoki.

[29] In 2013, he called the Hawai'i Legislature into a special session to consider a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, which he signed into law on November 13.

[32] After an intense special session, Abercrombie signed into law a bill that legalized marriage for same-sex couples in Hawai'i.

Abercrombie had the support of President Barack Obama and had outspent Ige $4.9 million to $447,000 during the primary campaign.

His confrontational style of governing, his proposal to raise taxes in the aftermath of the Great Recession, restructuring labor union pensions, and his selection of Brian Schatz over Colleen Hanabusa to fill the Senate seat vacated by Daniel Inouye's death, which was considered disrespectful of Inouye's wishes, were regarded as factors in Abercrombie's loss.

[1] Nonetheless, Schatz, who was also endorsed by Obama, defeated Hanabusa in the 2014 Democratic Senate primary and went on to win the general election.

In 1981, Abercrombie married Nancie Caraway,[40] a political scientist and feminist writer at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's Globalization Research Center.