Dems rush to find replacement

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HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii Democrats are moving to speed up the process to decide on three nominees to replace U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, raising the possibility that the appointed senator could be sworn-in before other new senators in early January.

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii Democrats are moving to speed up the process to decide on three nominees to replace U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, raising the possibility that the appointed senator could be sworn-in before other new senators in early January.

Dante Carpenter, chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, said the party’s state central committee will meet Wednesday morning.

Carpenter says the meeting was moved up because of the possibility that votes on federal tax and spending issues in the debate over the so-called fiscal cliff could be taken before the end of the year.

The announcement comes as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., released a statement Saturday asking the governor of Hawaii to appoint Inouye’s successor with what he termed “due haste.”