When it comes to loyalty, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who values it more highly than Sen. Daniel K. Inouye.

Inouye’s first point of reference is loyalty, whether it is dealing with his party, his political supporters, the U.S. Senate or his friends.

But when competing demands for loyalty occur, as they must, it is clear that Inouye puts personal relationships above all else. That’s the easy and understandable explanation for Inouye’s decision to host a pricey Washington D.C. fundraiser for his buddy and senate colleague Ted Stevens of Alaska, a Republican.

Ordinarily, Inouye makes almost a fetish of backing Democrats even when just about everyone else has taken a different path. That was the case, for instance, years ago when the dominant Democrats in the state were quietly, but obviously, behind Republican D.G. Andy” Anderson in his challenge to maverick Frank Fasi.

Fasi had done Inouye no particular favors over the years. And Anderson was more than acceptable to most of the party powers. But Inouye, stressing the importance of party loyalty, publicly backed Fasi.

So his support for Republican Stevens transcends even the bedrock principle of party loyalty. Inouye mght not say it, but in addition to friendship, there is another key to his wanting Stevens back. The two work closely together, watching each other’s back and helping the other whenever possible. They split votes on occasional party-line litmus test issues, but day-to-day work cooperatively.

From Inouye’s perspective, Stevens is more than a pal. He is on many occasions a reliable “third vote” for Hawaii in the Senate.

Reason enough to want him back there.