US Rep. Mark Takai will not seek re-election due to cancer

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai has announced he will not seek a second term in Congress due to health problems.

Takai was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. He said in a statement Thursday that he had planned to fight the cancer while running for re-election but recently learned the disease had spread.

Takai says that for the sake of his family, he needs to focus on getting better instead of getting re-elected.

Takai, 48, plans to finish serving the rest of his term. He was elected in 2014 after former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa left her seat to run for U.S. Senate.