Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Mark Takai share in an embrace following their exchange about Takai’s pancreas cancer and the Vice President’s late son, Beau. (File Photo courtesy of Phi Nguyen via office of US Rep. Mark Takai)

Congressman Mark Takai (HI-01) has endorsed Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa in the First District of Hawaii Congressional race.

“Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa has devoted her life to building a brighter future for Hawai‘i and fighting to give working families a real opportunity to get ahead,” US Rep. Takai said in a written statement today. “I am proud to endorse Colleen because I know she will be the champion Hawai‘i needs in Washington. And I know she will continue our fight for progress with the same passion we saw when she ably represented us for four years in Congress.”

Last month, Rep. Takai announced his decision to step down at the end of his term in Congress to focus on his ongoing battle with pancreatic cancer.

In a statement to Democratic Party of Hawai‘i State Convention delegates on Sunday, the Congressman indicated his desire to elect a progressive champion to replace him in Hawai‘i’s two-member US House of Representatives delegation.