Daniel Inouye's Guide To Getting Elected

Adrienne LaFrance/Civil Beat

WASHINGTON — Back then, people called him Danny. The year was 1959 and Daniel Inouye was a rookie senator in Hawaii's Territorial Legislature.

With his sights set on an open seat in the U.S. House that was newly created for the 50th state, 34-year-old Inouye drew up a list of "campaign instructions" to get him there.

It appears they worked.

More than one dozen successful campaigns later, Inouye is a political legend in Hawaii and one of the most influential senators in Washington.

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