Rep. Case challenges Hawaii Sen. Akaka

[Judi Lynn]

Rep. Case challenges Hawaii Sen. Akaka
By MARK NIESSE, Associated Press Writer
25 minutes ago

HONOLULU - Moderate Rep. Ed Case (news, bio, voting record) is telling Hawaii voters it's time to force out affable liberal Sen. Daniel Akaka (news, bio, voting record), 82, and end a political career notable for its length more than its achievements.

Both candidates are taking to island streets, adorned in traditional leis, in advance of Saturday's Democratic primary. It's a hard-fought race that almost surely will decide the ultimate winner in this heavily Democratic state.

Akaka and Case, 53, have been hopping from beaches to volcano-side villages as they meet voters at barbecues and "talk story" meetings, Hawaii's version of town hall sessions. Akaka greets nearly everyone he meets with a hug. Case's slick ad campaign use images of Hawaiian surf and a waterfall pool to urge voters to "catch a new wave" and buy into his idea for "pooling" health insurance.

Akaka, who has served in Congress for 30 years, shrugs off Case's insolence. He says Hawaii should keep his seniority in the Senate to preserve the state's power and clout, stemming in part from Akaka's assignments on the Armed Services and Energy and Natural Resources Committees.
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060919/ap_on_el_se/hawaii_senate

[KamaAina]

1. You just had to get me started, didn't you?

:-) It's not your fault, it's Case's. Let's ignore the (vast) policy differences (Case is pro-war, backed the 'pukes' bankruptcy bill, plus this insurance-pooling thing is a repuke plan to let small businesses offer crappy coverage) and concentrate on what this move means for local Dems:

* We must now defend the once-safe 2nd CD seat against, possibly, repuke gazillionaire Quentin Kawananakoa, who is already on the air with ads that don't mention his primary opponent... :scared:

* We still have no serious candidate to take on repuke Gov. Lingle (R-Raised Most of Her $8.5M War Chest on the Mainland). If Case was tired of the House after one term, why not go after her? :grr:

There! Time for my morning coffee break (no, we do not drink Kona in eveyday life :P )

[wakeme2008]

2. ...

There! Time for my morning coffee break (no, we do not drink Kona in eveyday life :P )

No you drink Florida's Special Blend Coffee... :rofl: