Case betting on grassroots campaign

LIHU‘E — Ed Case walks and talks — and also hopes that he will be the next United States Senator in Washington, DC, representing Hawai‘i constituents for many years to come.

“I think our country needs some help up in Washington, D.C.,” Case said during an informal talk Friday. “Every U.S. Senator is important today and should be a national leader.”

Building on a “grassroots campaign” and “mainstream views,” Case says he has what it takes to take the seat to be vacated by U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai‘i later this year.

“This is me, personally trying to reach out to folks,” said Case, explaining that part of his strategy to beat U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai‘i, in the primaries Aug. 11 includes reaching out to constituents at the ground level, literally. He has been to Kaua‘i at least 10 times since he announced his candidacy, walking — and talking — around towns, neighborhoods, community events, malls, schools and more.

While Honolulu Civil Beat polls show a tie between Hirono and Case in the primaries (a Benenson Strategy Group news release Monday states Hirono has a 15-point lead over Case) he says the Civil Beat polls “clearly” show he would do better than Hirono in the November general elections, when the final Democratic Party candidate will likely face former Gov. Linda Lingle from the Republican Party.

Civil Beat polls show Case would have a 16-point lead against Lingle in the general elections, and Hirono a 5-point lead (margin of error is 4.4 percent) in the same scenario, according to Case.

The reason he thinks the polls favor him is because Hawai‘i voters have moderate views, he said.

“I vote mostly with my party, but I disagree on occasion, and I think that’s what we need in the Senate,” he said. “We need a little bit more problem solving as opposed to partisan warfare.”

Historically, he said, Republicans and Democrats always see the other side as the enemy, and he doesn’t believe this approach has been good for this country.

“We have to face up to our challenges rather than sweep them under the rug and pretend they don’t exist,” Case said.

He said the No. 1 priority right now in this country is to help the economy grow, locally and nationally.

But the government, although necessary at an appropriate level, can’t do everything, according to him.

Business will always need a reasonable and fair level of taxes and regulations, he said.

“Too much taxes, too much regulation and you just kill of businesses and you kill jobs,” Case said.

He also said government and the people need to concentrate on what he calls the Four Ts; tax reform, trade, technology and training.

When Sen. Akaka steps down from his seat later this year, he’ll be leaving behind a legacy of 22 years in the U.S. Senate.

Hawai’i’s other U.S. Senator, Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawai‘i, has the second-longest serving streak in history.

He has been in office since 1963, and will become the longest-serving U.S. senator if he stays in office until June 29, 2014.

Inouye’s term will be up in December 2016, when he will be 92, and he has already said he plans to run again.

Case sees this election as an important one, because he believes the next senator will be in office for at least 25 years, as incumbents in Washington are hard to beat.

The primaries will be held Aug. 11, but deadline to register to vote is July 12.

Besides Case and Hirono, there are other three other Democrats trying to make it to the general elections Nov. 6, including Michael Gillespie, Antonio Gibernat and Arturo Reyes.

Besides Lingle, there are four other Republicans in the race; John Carroll, Charles Collins, Eddie Pirkowski and John Roco. Nonpartisan Heath Beasley is also in the running.

This is not the first time the three candidates face each other in a major elections. In the 2002 gubernatorial race, Hirono beat Case in the primaries, only to loose to Lingle in the general election.

Go to www.hawaii.gov/elections for more information on voting deadlines.

• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.