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Posted: Wednesday, August 29th, 2012 8:50 AM HST

House candidate pledges half of salary to charity

By Ken Hupp - 67AM KPUA News

HONOLULU (AP) — A homeless handyman who won the Republican primary for an open U.S. House seat says he'll donate half his Congressional salary to charity if he wins. Kawika Crowley isn't expected to come close to beating Democrat Tulsi Gabbard in the general election on November 6. The 61-year-old self-employed handyman has no real campaign budget, makes $15,000 in a good year and lives out of his van in Kaneohe. But Crowley says the $179,000 yearly Congressional salary is "astronomical." He says he'll donate $90,000 per year to the Wounded Warrior Project if he wins. Crowley won a GOP primary earlier this month, drawing just over 9,000 votes in a district that's heavily Democratic. Gabbard and Crowley are hoping to replace U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, who is running for U.S. Senate.