DESPITE? Hawaii Governor Loses Democratic Primary Despite Obama Endorsement. “President Barack Obama endorsed him, but incumbent Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie lost his Democratic primary to a challenger Saturday. Abercrombie, a longtime Democratic officeholder in the state, was ousted by state Sen. David Ige. That makes Abercrombie the first incumbent governor in Hawaii history to lose his primary. Ige handily defeated the sitting governor, winning 67 percent to Abercrombie’s 32 percent of the vote.”