It is obvious that the death of U.S. Daniel K. Inouye changes the Hawaii congressional delegation, but the unity he brought to the group and the disunity resulting from his departure are more subtle, though still major.

When Inouye was alive, what the other three members of the Hawaii delegation wanted to be was "on Dan’s team."

Gov. Neil Abercrombie, something of a political maverick during his 20 years in Congress, still would remind voters over and over that he was a team player who knew how to get along.

"My thought, and I’ve said it to other people, is if you don’t want to be a team player in the Hawaii congressional delegation, don’t run, because there is only four of us," Abercrombie said in a 2009 Honolulu Advertiser interview.

"And the captain of our team, the quarterback of our team, and the coach of our team is Daniel K. Inouye."

"I think people forget that I was a running guard on a winning football team," Abercrombie added during the interview. "I know what being a team player is."

Much of the issue between former U.S. Rep. Ed Case and Inouye comes from Inouye’s repeated assertion that Case was "not a team player."

Inouye’s death last December caused the great Inouye-forged team of our four-person delegation to splinter.

Democrats wishing to be appointed by Abercrombie to succeed Inouye had to file with the state Democratic Party. Among those filling out the wish list were current U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, then-Rep.-elect Tulsi Gabbard and then-Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz.

Abercrombie picked Schatz, even after Inouye had written to the governor asking that he "grant my last wish" and appoint Hanabusa.

The result is clear — Schatz won, Hanabusa and Gabbard lost. There are indications that Hanabusa and perhaps Gabbard are thinking of a rematch in 2014 when Schatz has to defend his Senate post.

On a structural level, the delegation is out of kilter: Because of his appointment coming before U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono’s swearing-in, Schatz is the senior member of the delegation and responsible for calling the meetings and acting as the quarterback in the huddle.

So far, there is no indication that is happening. Among the four, Hirono has the most time on Capitol Hill and easily the most time in elected office, but she has never been considered as a charismatic leader among politicians.

Our two senators, Hirono and Schatz, are set. Hirono doesn’t have an election for five or six years and Schatz is running in 2014.

The two members raising questions are Hanabusa and Gabbard. The newest member of the delegation, Gabbard, is off on active-duty National Guard service and unavailable to comment, but there is much speculation that her new popularity will lure her into a run against Schatz.

Hanabusa’s 2014 path has been to encourage speculation for a run either against Schatz or taking the plunge and running against Abercrombie.

Of course, both Hanabusa and Gabbard can run for re-election, which although not guaranteed, is mostly assured because GOP Rep. Charles Djou was the only incumbent member of a Hawaii congressional delegation ever bounced from office.

For us back in Hawaii, the change in the delegation may not mean much because with the death of congressional earmarks, the delegation does not have the direct power to steer projects to Hawaii and without Inouye’s clout, perks that once came to Hawaii go somewhere else.

For Gabbard and Hanabusa, however, the decisions they make about 2014 will determine much of the makeup of both our delegation and their future.

—————

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.