 |
| Ed Case |
Congressman Ed Case, D-Hawaii, has committed a cardinal sin in some Democrat traditionalists’ eyes -- he is challenging 81-year-old U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka to his seat in 2006 without the blessing of Democrat elders such as Hawaii’s Senior Senator Daniel Inouye.
Three recent polls, including one conducted and made public by Case, show the 53-year-old Case is ahead of Akaka. The other two polls (one done by a Congressional candidate and the other by a non-profit) also show Case is in the lead (one the Big Island by a 2-to-1 margin). However, the challenge for Case is to win the support of enough independent and moderate Democrat voters to make it through the primary election this September.
 |
| U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka - photo from the Senator's Web site |
The Akaka-Case Senate race is shaking up the very foundations of the Democrat Party in Hawaii, which has dominated Hawaii politically for more than 40 years. If Case wins, he will take a major swipe at the power of Inouye who has long controlled what happens in Hawaii politics. While many traditional Democrats see Case’s challenge as disrespectful, and many moderate Democrats, independents and Republicans see his move as gutsy, Case says he simply wants to offer voters a choice between candidates.
Meanwhile, several of Hawaii’s most well-known politicians, primarily in Case’s own party, are scrambling to replace him in Congress.
In the Republican Party, former state House Minority Leader Quentin Kawananakoa and state Sen. Bob Hogue are running against each other in the Congressional primary.
Kawananakoa, who maintains a platform of lower taxes and limited and accountable government, does not hesitate to attack the highest member of his political party, President George W. Bush, saying the war in Iraq is a mistake. He supports the Native Hawaiian Recognition Act or the “Akaka Bill” as just the first step toward a separate nation for native Hawaiians, and he held a press conference last week to denounce the recently issued U.S. Civil Rights Commission report opposing the Akaka Bill, which is now pending a vote in the U.S. Senate.
Hogue, a state Senator representing Kailua and Kaneohe, is a former television news sports broadcaster. A well-known columnist and journalism personality, Hogue continues via radio as a sports commentator and writes for a variety of magazines including Hawaii Parent and MidWeek. Father of four children, Hogue has made improving Hawaii’s public school system his number one priority. He proudly has voted against every tax increase proposal while serving in the Hawaii State Legislature and has signed a national pledge promising not to introduce or support a tax increase of any kind.
So many Democrats are vying for the Congressional seat that the running political joke has become “which Democrat isn’t running for Congress?”
The most recent candidate to announce his candidacy is state Sen. Clayton Hee, D-Kahaluu, who is campaigning primarily on his race, which is native Hawaiian, saying a “keiki o ka aina” or “child of the land” should represent Hawaii in Congress.
Other Democrats running for the seat include Sen. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Waianae, who is known for fighting for honest and open government and her fairness as the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and for passing legislation this session that strengthens the power of law enforcement and victims over criminals.
Also challenging fellow Democrats to the Congressional seat is Rep. Brian Schatz, D-Makiki -- the only Democrat who had to give up his seat to run for Congress and Sen. Gary Hooser, D-Kauai, who distinguished himself this session as one of a handful of lawmakers advocating for the rights of convicted criminals over victims by fighting against the Three Violent Strikes Bill and the Electronic Surveillance Bill. Sen. Ron Menor, D-Mililani, who is the godfather of the failed Hawaii gas cap law, says he plans to compete for the seat.
Former Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono and former state Sen. Matt Matsunaga are jumping in the race as well. The pair teamed up in 2002 to run for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, but lost to Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona.
This weekend, Honolulu Council Member and former television news reporter Nestor Garcia also entered the race.
Another politician who may run for the Congressional seat is former City Council member Duke Bainum, who ran for Honolulu mayor in 2004. Honolulu City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle was considering competing for the seat, but he recently announced he is opting out.
These Congressional races are sure to be the hottest topic at the two political conventions -- Democrat and Republican -- scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend in Waikiki.
Who emerges from the Democrat pack of politicians may come down to who has the most name recognition and cash on hand.
So far, Hirono says she has the most money -- $300,000 -- and she is known statewide because she served as the lieutenant governor from 1994 to 2002. However, Hirono will take on Hanabusa, who has made a name for herself statewide since entering the Senate in 1998, and Matt Matsunaga whose father, Spark Matsunaga, was a beloved U.S. Senator.
The Democrat victor will take on who ever wins the Hogue-Kawananakoa Republican primary, which will be a challenge in itself as Hogue is a popular television, radio and print personality, and Kawananakoa, although less famous, says he plans to spend $1 million on promoting his campaign, much of which is his own money.
Reach Malia Zimmerman, editor and president of Hawaii Reporter, via email at mailto:Malia@hawaiireporter.com
