Candidates •
Daniel Inouye, incumbent U.S. Senator (Democratic) • Linda Martin (Green) • Rick Reed, state senator (Republican) • Richard O. Rowland (Libertarian)
Sexual assault allegation against Inouye During the campaign, Lenore Kwock, Inouye's hairdresser, accused him of sexually assaulting her in 1975. She had not originally intended to make the accusation publicly, but was tricked into doing so by an operative from Reed's campaign, who secretly recorded her speaking about the incident after posing as a prospective aide for Inouye. Inouye denied the accusation, but an opinion poll showed that more than twice as many Hawaii voters believed Kwock over him. Inouye faced no real backlash from the accusation: his vast influence over Hawaii's political establishment meant that "cowardice" and "lack of opportunity" shielded him, according to a political scientist at the
University of Hawaii. After Amaral publicly supported Kwock, she was removed from her position on the judiciary committee and lost re-election. Further allegations against Inouye were reported after his death.
Results ==See also==