Hawaii Congressman to Challenge Senator(Akaka)

[mikelgb]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060120/ap_on_el_se/brf_hawaii_senate

HONOLULU - Rep. Ed Case (news, bio, voting record) announced Thursday he will challenge fellow Democrat Sen. Daniel Akaka (news, bio, voting record) in the September primary, saying voters should have a chance to replace the 81-year-old senator with a younger leader.

Case, 53, said his campaign will not target Akaka's performance but focus instead on the need for a transition that "requires that we phase in the next generation to provide continuity."

Case said he wanted to give voters control over that transition rather than risk having Akaka's successor chosen by Republican Gov. Linda Lingle, who would appoint a new senator if Akaka or Sen. Daniel Inouye (news, bio, voting record) died in office.

Akaka has indicated he will run for a fourth term, and no Republican opponent has emerged

[oasis]

1. Oh oh. This is going to be tough for Hawaiians to chose a side.

[autorank]

2. Republicans: "The politics of death."

.

[Hardrada]

3. I don't understand why politicians think they have to serve

for life!! We have the same problem with Iowa senators and congressmen of both parties. But that's nasty in Hawaii. The guy should just retire. If justices Douglas and one ot two others had retired in the Carter administration and he had appointed their successors, we wouldn't be facing a totalitarian regime right now.

[liberalpragmatist]

12. Well, Douglas retired under Ford

And was replaced with Stephens. But your general point is correct.

[Hardrada]

14. OK, I thought Stevens replaced Thurgood Marshall.

But thanks for agreeing. At the time Carter was president, even then I thought some of the older liberal justices should retire so he could appoint some. Also there were errors with LBJ when he got Abe Fortas off the court. He could have made some more appointments too. Same problem. People get on and want to be there forever.

[davidinalameda]

4. what guarantee does the good congressman have that he won't die in office

if he wins

hell, he could step off the curb and get hit by a bus

I hope that Akaka beats him by 20 points in the primary

[oasis]

6. Union support will be key. They have a long tradition of support for Akaka

Case is quite popular in his district but he only been in Washington four years.

He ran for Patsy Mink's seat when she died in 2002.

[WhiteTara]

7. how reactioinary

of course Akaka should resign, he should be looking to his own life after a lifetime of service, he's 81. He should have been looking for a successor and been grooming a good dem, but what ego to think that his voice should be the only voice for Hawaii. Akaka voted to drill in Alaska. I'm glad to see some new progressive blood. but that's just my opinion.

[davidinalameda]

9. as for the ANWAR issue

the senators from Alaska and Hawaii have sort of an informal agreement to support local issues for the others

the senators from Alaska will support issues that deal with Hawaii and vice versa

I highly doubt anyone was surprised by the votes of both Hawaiian senators for ANWAR

[Hardrada]

15. More depressed than surprised.

What have Alaskans done for Hawaii lately?

[AllyCat]

5. I dunno. Akaka and Inouye vote like Repukes to help AK buddies

What's the big diff? I'd love to see someone who is not beholden to helping the state of Alaska with their oil stuff get elected to the Senate from HI. I'd like to see how this one pans out.

[Hekate]

8. Ye gods, if Akaka's 81, how old is Dan Inouye?

I only know Sen Akaka by name since I left the Islands so long ago, but I still retain a lot of aloha for Dan Inouye.

I remember Rep. Neil Abercrombie from when he left UH to run for his first political office (Makiki-Manoa) -- I wonder if he is having Senatorial thoughts or if he's happy to stay in the House. This Case guy could be right about not wanting to have a Repub gov appoint a replacement, but for all anyone knows both of the Dans could go on as long as Strom Thurmond. Case is just getting antsy with ambition, unless he knows something about Akaka's health that no one else does.

Hekate

[KamaAina]

11. Inouye is also 81. Both their names are "Daniel K."

Creepy, huh?

I remember Rep. Neil Abercrombie from when he left UH to run for his first political office (Makiki-Manoa) -- I wonder if he is having Senatorial thoughts or if he's happy to stay in the House.

Abercrombie has had Senatorial thoughts for many a year now. He's been patiently waiting for one of the octogenarian Daniel K.s to retire. And now Case comes along and pulls the rug out from under him (or possibly from off Akaka's head :-) )

http://starbulletin.com/2006/01/20/news/story01.html

Abercrombie, his voice shaking with emotion at times, said Akaka had his and Inouye's support, as well as the backing of his colleagues in Washington.

"I can assure you that the Senate Democrats are galvanized around Sen. Akaka's re-election," Abercrombie said. "They love him, you have to understand that. Sen. Akaka's support among his colleagues in Washington is universal."



Looks to me like he is one seriously ticked-off Congressman.

This Case guy could be right about not wanting to have a Repub gov appoint a replacement,

Under Hawai'i election law the fish-faced repuke is required to appoint a replacement from the same party as the official creating the vacancy. In fact, if I were her :puke: , I'd pick the most conservative DINO I could find, and hopefully find one whose appointment would create a House vacancy for the repukes to try and pick off -- Ed Case. So what's his hurry?

[Cha]

16. Isn't a Dem going to beat lingle

in November?! :)

[KamaAina]

17. If we can find one!

We've done everything but put a personal ad in Honolulu Weekly: "Turn-offs include slavish Bush-lovers and huge mainland campaign contributions"...

This is what really browns me off about Case: 1) We must now defend the previously safe 2nd District seat against the ravening repuke hordes; 2) We now face another divisive primary battle, much like the one in '02 between Mazie Hirono and, um, Ed Case (hmmm...) and 3) we STILL do not have a candidate to run against the fish-faced fascist! :grr:

[Cha]

19. Sorry to hear that, KamaAina!

I guess it hasn't gotten bad enough under lingle to warrant the Dems to unearth the perfect person to recapture Democracy on the Hawaiian Islands. :(

[yorkiemommie1]

13. I remember Neil A from the UH

the Oliver Lee case. I left the Islands shortly thereafter and lost touch w/ HI. politics, but glad Neil has stayed in there fighting.

LOTS of local freepers there.

[PhilipDC]

10. ANWR

Lost respect for Akaka and Inouye ove rthe ANWR vote.

[taught_me_patience]

18. Rats...

I was hoping he was going to make another run for Governor.


taught.

[oasis]

20. Lingle looks to be unbeatable. Since, by law, Case must resign his seat

to run, he may be afraid of coming out of the November elections with no place to go.