HI-01

DCCC Blasts GOPer Djou In New HI-01 TV Ad (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | April 20, 2010, 5:46PM

HI-01 House candidate Charles Djou (R)

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has a new TV ad in the Hawaii First District special election, attacking Republican candidate Charles Djou.

"First, we learned Charles Djou supported tax breaks for big corporations who export our jobs and children's future," the announcer says. "Now we learn Djou opposed a plan that protected the plans of 2,000 Hawaii teachers and school staff."

President Obama carried this district with 70% of the vote, but the Dems could be in real danger of losing it, at least for a few months until this coming regular November election, due to a split Democratic vote.

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HI-01

Poll: GOPer Djou Has Narrow Lead In HI-01 Special Election, With Dems Splitting Vote

Eric Kleefeld | April 16, 2010, 11:59AM

HI-01 House candidates Ed Case (D), Colleen Hanabusa (D) and Charles Djou (R)

The new Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll of the Hawaii First District special election finds that Republican Honolulu councilman Charles Djou could potentially win the race, thanks to a three-way dead heat and a big problem of Democrats splitting the vote under this state's unique special election process.

The numbers: Djou 32%, former Rep. Ed Case 29%, state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa 28%, a three-way dead heat within the ±5% margin of error. Keep in mind that Barack Obama won this district in 2008 with 70% of the vote.

Hawaii special elections for the House do not function according to the usual rules in other states, where candidates either compete in separate party primaries, or the parties select their candidates through an internal party committee process. Instead, a single-round election is held in which all the candidates appear together on one ballot, and the plurality-winner takes the whole thing. The election will be conducted entirely by mail, and will end on May 22.

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HI-01

AFL-CIO Mailers Back Hanabusa, Slam Ed Case In HI-01 Special Election

Eric Kleefeld | April 12, 2010, 11:46AM

HI-01 House candidates Ed Case (D) and Colleen Hanabusa (D)

The AFL-CIO is throwing its weight into the Hawaii First District special election, actively backing state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa in a new pair of mailers -- and going further by attacking the other Democrat in the race, former Rep. Ed Case.

The mailers target two key union demographics, warning them of the dire consequences that the union says Case's positions would mean for them. Public employees are told of "layoffs," "cutting pensions" and other negative developments, while longshore workers are told: "Ed Case Will Put Your Job AT RISK."

This special election was caused by the resignation of Democratic Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who wanted to focus full time on his campaign for governor. The race has seen a potentially crucial split in Democratic support. It has been widely reported that the DCCC is unofficially backing Case, who enters the race with very high name recognition from unsuccessful but very close Democratic primary campaigns for governor in 2002 and a 2006 primary challenge against incumbent Sen. Daniel Akaka. Meanwhile, the state Democratic establishment -- as embodied by Akaka and Hawaii's senior Senator Daniel Inouye -- are backing Hanabusa.

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HI-01

DCCC Ad Attacks GOPer In Hawaii Special Election (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | April 7, 2010, 12:13PM

HI-01 House candidate Charles Djou (R)

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has a new ad in the special election for Hawaii's First District, attacking Republican candidate Charles Djou -- a strategy that has been necessitated due to the unique circumstances of this race.

The ad slams Djou, a Honolulu city councilman, for signing the no-tax increase pledge from Grover Norquist's Americans For Tax Reform, which the ad construes as meaning that Djou would continue to support tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. But beyond the content, it's clear that the DCCC must focus itself for now on going after the Republican, rather than promoting a Democratic candidate -- because there is no single Dem in the race, and a split vote could theoretically help Djou win the race.

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