Honolulu Organizers Launch Six-Figure Campaign to Demand Rep. Ed Case Stop Obstructing Progress for Hawai’i
New group, Our Hawai’i Action, kicks off major effort to build awareness amongst HI-01 voters about how Rep. Case is acting out of lockstep with local values and priorities
News Release from Our Hawai’i Action, September 20, 2021
HONOLULU, HI — On Monday September 20th, local organizers from across Hawai’i’s 1st Congressional District launched a major effort to raise awareness amongst voters across Oahu about Representative Ed Case’s efforts to obstruct our islands’ once-in-a-generation opportunity to get needed investments to tackle the climate crisis, rebuild our infrastructure, and gain relief for working families through President Biden’s comprehensive “Build Back Better” agenda.
The effort is launching with a canvass, sign waving, and a press conference at the intersection of E Mānoa Rd and Oahu Ave. (University Ave) at 10:30am and featured community members, local advocates from various supportive organizations, and political leaders.
Over the course of the next few weeks, the effort will spend $130,000 across Oahu on print, digital, mail, and radio advertising alongside door-to-door and other organizing efforts to educate over 120,000 voters across HI-01 about Rep. Case’s recent actions in Congress, and how he might risk our historic opportunity to bring thousands of jobs to Hawai’i, tackle the climate crisis, upgrade our infrastructure, and support the care and service workers hit hardest by the pandemic.
Representative Case is the only member of the Hawai’i delegation to not support President Biden’s full Build Back Better flagship agenda, which HI-01 voters overwhelmingly voted for, and one of only a dozen Democrats in all of Congress that has threatened to vote against these critical investments.
“This isn’t a regular bill or vote. It’s the biggest jobs and infrastructure plan in generations. It’s the difference between brand new roads and more water main breaks, between abandoning our loved ones and creating a more supportive system of care for our keiki and kūpuna, between thousands of good, union jobs here in Hawaii and more of our kids moving away. Ed Case isn’t just threatening to tank Joe Biden’s presidency, he is impeding opportunity for all of Hawaii’s working families” said Nanea Lo, organizer with Our Hawaii Action.
“The science is clear: we cannot afford to stall on climate action. Congress must pass Biden's Build Back Better jobs and infrastructure plan in its entirety – right now – or my generation will suffer from a literally unlivable planet. Ed Case, we, the youth of Hawai'i, are counting on you,” warned Dyson Chee, organizer of the Hawaii Youth Climate Coalition.
“The pandemic forced thousands of Hawaii women to leave the workforce and care for our keiki and kupuna for free. Biden’s jobs plan is Hawaii’s chance to rebuild our child and senior care infrastructure and give all women a chance to thrive. This bill is too important for us. Ed Case must end his reckless political games and stand on the side of gender justice.” said Khara Jabola-Carolus, Executive Director of the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women.
Behind this multi-week campaign is a new organization, Our Hawai’i Action, which is forming to ensure that politicians at all levels are living up to and fighting for local values and unite our people — kupuna and keiki, kamaʻāina and kānaka maoli, Kauai to Kailua-Kona — to build a Hawai’i for all of us, not just the wealthy few. The organization is led by grassroots organizers from across Oahu, majority of whom are Native Hawaiian, Black, Immigrant, LGBT, or women. Its founders include Sunrise Movement co-founder, Evan Weber and Former State Representative, Kaniela Ing.
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Our Hawaii Action Announces $50,000 TV Buy, New Poll Showing HI-01 Voters Overwhelming Support for Biden Agenda Case Has Yet to Fully Support
Poll shows Case underwater with likely voters as organizers plan more efforts to educate the community about his positions
News Release from Our Hawaii Action Sept 25, 2021
HONOLULU, HI — As Congress prepares to vote in the coming week on President Biden’s Build Back Better Act, which Representative Case still has not committed to vote for in full, Our Hawaii Action is announcing additional efforts to raise awareness across HI-01 about what the Build Back Better Act will mean for our islands. This includes over $50,000 in paid TV advertisements across KHON, KHNL, KGMB, and KITV that ask residents to “tell Representative Case to stop obstructing President Biden and start working for the people of Hawai’i.”
Political scientists and observers say that whether or not this legislation passes could determine the fate of Biden’s presidency, and may also be our last opportunity for years to take meaningful federal action to address the climate crisis. The television ads are scheduled to play across all channels throughout this critical week of votes in Washington, DC that could determine the fate of this crucial legislation. Representative Case still has not committed to voting for the legislation, and has suggested cuts to the investments proposed in the plan.
In addition, a new poll (see attached memo) of likely HI-01 voters conducted by Lake Research Partners at the request of Our Hawaii Action shows broad support for critical components of the Build Back Better agenda and struggling job performance numbers for Representative Case amongst likely Democratic Primary and General election voters. The poll shows three-quarters or more of voters in HI-01—including solid majorities of Democrats, independents, and Republicans—support the key healthcare, climate change, affordable housing, and home-, elderly-, and child-care components of the Biden’s Build Back Better Act. Meanwhile, it shows Ed Case’s job performance at only 44%, with only 39% of all likely voters saying they are certain they would vote to re-elect him in a General election, and only 38% of Democratic primary voters saying they are certain they’d vote for him in the Primary.
In response to Our Hawaii Actions’s efforts this week making voters aware Representative Case is not supportive of Biden’s full agenda, Case released a statement saying affirming that he believes Biden’s agenda is “controversial” and that “there is a limit to how much new revenue we can or should generate” to pay for the full plan, but then accuses Our Hawaii Action’s ads of “misinformation.”
“We’ve been clear: we think Hawaii deserve to know that Rep. Case isn’t in support of President Biden’s full agenda to deliver good paying jobs for Hawai’i, tackle the climate crisis, cut middle class taxes, and make healthcare more affordable and accessible by making the super wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share. And now Representative Case is saying it himself — he thinks Biden’s proposals are ‘controversial’ and that we should slim them down,” said Our Hawaii Action co-founder Evan Weber. “But as our polling makes clear, Hawai’i voters are united in overwhelming support of the key components of the Build Back Better Act. Which popular programs does he want to cut? Which taxes on the mega-rich does he think go too far? The only controversy here is why Ed Case isn’t joining the rest of the Hawai’i delegation to deliver for our islands. And If Ed doesn’t like our ads, all he has to do is get with the program — and we’d be happy to take them down.”
Our Hawaii Action organizers are also continuing our in-person efforts to raise awareness amongst HI-01 residents today with a COVID-19 safe door-to-door canvass in Manoa beginning at 11:15am HT, open to members of the press. This builds upon our previous canvassing efforts, and our $130,000 planned spending on print mailers, radio and digital ads, and more.
On Monday morning ahead of the first scheduled vote on Biden’s full Build Back Better agenda, Representative Case has agreed to meet with Our Hawaii Action organizers to hear our concerns and discuss the legislation before Congress.
Link to polling memo: https://bit.ly/hi01poll
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Our Hawai’i Action is a new organization building a movement to create a Hawai’i for all of us, not just the wealthy few by ensuring that politicians at all levels are living up to and fighting for local values and uniting our people — kupuna and keiki, kamaʻāina and kānaka maoli, Kauai to Kailua-Kona. We are led by grassroots organizers from across Oahu, majority of whom are Native Hawaiian, Black, Immigrant, LGBT, and women. Our founders include Sunrise Movement co-founder, Evan Weber and Former State Representative, Kaniela Ing.
Grounded in our past. Looking towards our future. Rooted in shared values of aloha, kuleana, and mālama ‘āina. Learn more about our campaign to get Rep. Ed Case to stand with Hawai’i’s values at http://jobsforhawaii.com
Kaniela Ing: The Gift That Just Keeps on Giving
COVERAGE: