National Dems give up in Obama’s home district
“National Democrats' decision to meddle in local politics and pick sides not only failed, but also brought to light additional rifts within a party already in disarray. The DCCC is giving up in a district as blue as this one due to their own blunders and a fed-up constituency that rejected their reckless agenda of higher taxes, negligent spending and government takeovers.” – Joanna Burgos, Nat’l Republican Campaign Committee Spokeswoman May 10, 2010
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CHAIRMAN KA'AUWAI RESPONDS TO DCCC PULLING RESOURCES FOR DEMOCRATS IN SPECIAL ELECTION
HONOLULU-- Hawai'i Republican Party Chairman Jonah Ka'auwai released the following statement on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's announcement today that they would be pulling resources for Democrat candidates in the special election for Hawai'i's first Congressional district:
“D.C. Democrats learned the hard way that smear campaigns and flat out lies do not work in Hawai'i. Ed Case and his DC friends tried to bully Colleen Hanabusa out of the race and the only thing they were able to do was drive down Ed’s poll numbers and ultimately drive the DCCC out of Hawai'i. This race is a clear choice between Charles’ positive message of lower taxes and job creation and the tired, stale and deceitful campaign tactics of his Democrat opponents. Hawai'i's people will ultimately decide this race and polls have shown they are choosing Charles over the negative campaigning generated by Washington D.C. Democrats and labor unions here on the Island.” * * * * *
National Democrats pull out of Hawaii special election
Associated Press >>> LINK
WASHINGTON — House Democrats are abandoning efforts to win a special election in Hawaii as a party feud threatens their prospects in President Barack Obama's native state.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokeswoman Jennifer Crider today said the organization would stop spending for the May 22 contest to replace Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who left Congress to run for governor.
The DCCC said it would save the money it would have spent on the special election for the general election in November.
National Democrats have been smarting over the Democratic fight between state Senate president Colleen Hanabusa and former Rep. Ed Case.
Hanabusa is favored by the state's two senators, Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel Akaka, as well as labor. The DCCC blamed local Democrats for infighting.
Republican Charles Djou is leading in the polls. The Democratic campaign committee has spent an estimated $300,000 on the race, much of it for ads critical of Djou.
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National Democrats to 're-evaluate' participation in Hawaii Congressional race—Advertiser: “So what?”
(And Hawaii Democrat Chair Dante Carpenter says “Good!”)
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POLITICO: DCCC pulls plug on Hawaii special election
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National Journal: Case Cozies Up To Obama In Latest Ad
By Sean Sullivan, 5/10/2010
In the heated race to replace ex-Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D), ex-Rep. Ed Case (D) has gone up with a new TV ad that places Pres. Obama front and center.
The ad, produced by Devine Mulvey, is heavy on Obama imagery and aims to position Honolulu Councilor Charles Djou (R) as an Obama foil, with the narrator of the ad saying "Washington Republicans want him [Obama] to fail and they'll use Charles Djou to help them."
The Case camp is also striving to drive the perception that Case is the strongest Obama ally, as the narrator also says "only one candidate's strong enough to stand with the president: Ed Case." Obama has recorded telephone messages in support of Dems in the race, but hasn't publicly picked a Dem candidate.
The ad comes days after a DNC poll showed Case to be the stronger Dem candidate in a matchup against Djou, further fueling the notion that national Dems prefer Case over state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa (D). According to a recent Honolulu Advertiser poll, Djou leads both Dems in a three-way race due to split support among Dem voters.
See the full report: http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/05/case_cozies_up.php