Rasmussen Poll: Dem Haiwaii Senator may lose primary, 47%-45%

[Grebrook]

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/August%202006/HawaiiSenate.htm

<snip>

Hawaii’s Senate seat will be decided on September 23—Primary Day—rather than November 8. That’s when Democrats Daniel Akaka, the incumbent senator seeking his fourth full term, and U.S. Rep. Ed Case will square off for their party’s nomination in November. And with a little more than a month to go in the primary battle, the contest is either candidate’s to win.

According to the most recent Rasmussen Reports election poll, Sen. Akaka leads Case 47% to 45% (see crosstabs). That’s a surprisingly narrow margin for the incumbent war veteran who has represented the Aloha State in the Senate since 1990.

Akaka and Case are both viewed Very Favorably by 23% of the states’ voters. Case slightly edges out Akaka on overall favorable ratings, however,

Regardless of which candidate wins on September 23, it appears that the seat will remain safely in the Democrats’ hands. Assuming Akaka is the party’s candidate, 58% of voters surveyed prefer him to Republican Jerry Coffee (30%.) Should Case succeed in unseating Akaka, 63% say they’ll vote for him over Coffee (21%.)

<snip>

Another Democratic incumbent on his way out the door? I think this is a good idea if this gives voters the correct impression that the Democratic Party is the party of change, and we start with our own ranks. It's a way to victory.

[WI_DEM]

1. I hope Case wins

Both Akaka and Inouye are up in age and with a GOP governor who can appoint their replacements, I think its time for some new blood.

[Norquist Nemesis]

2. Oh my.

Sounds like HI isn't too happy. It's good to see it looks like it will remain Dem. Somewhere I got the idea that HI was starting to lean Con.

[Dragon Turtle]

6. Not sure this is a good idea

Case is the more conservative of the two. He opposes withdrawal from Iraq. Back in June of this year, Case was one of the 42 House Democrats to vote for a GOP-sponsored resolution endorsing *'s policy.

Case supported LIEberman for president back in 2004.

[Norquist Nemesis]

11. Guess they are trending (R)

Wonder what issues the voters have with Akaka.

[pstans]

3. Is Akaka DLC?

[Pirate Smile]

7. I believe Case is the more moderate Dem and Akaka is more liberal.

[Dragon Turtle]

8. Case is DLC, I think Akaka isn't.

[Pirate Smile]

4. Another Democratic Senator may lose in the Democratic Primary?

The Republicans will be so upset. :eyes:

[Norquist Nemesis]

12. Maybe not. See #6 above. n/t

[xchrom]

5. as long as it's progressive change -- change is good.

[Jed Dilligan]

9. Not really, Case is borderline DINO as far as I know.

Akaka's getting referendum-ed on his indigenous autonomy bill, which sank in the Senate with cool support from our party. The bill didn't seem to make anyone in HI happy, the hardcore native Hawaiians thought it was way too weak and everyone else just seemed to be scared of casinos.

[xchrom]

10. well -- dino isn't progressive.

so it's not good to me.

[Jed Dilligan]

13. Of course, one person's DINO is another's realist.

My Hawaiian friends seem to think Case is soft on the environment and a little too business-friendly. But he's not a fundy or a Dixiecrat, at least.

[leesa]

15. Right. Reality is war.

[xchrom]

17. i suppose. n/t

[Bandit]

14. Isn't Akaka a recipreant of the Medal of Honor?

I hit the post button instead of the spell check :shrug: I know I misspelled recipient I just am too lazy to actually look it up and rely on the spell check to fix things. :banghead: But I think it is good that a Medal of Honor winner is an elected Democrat. It goes to the chickenhawk charge against Republicans so gungho for war..

[jrandom421]

21. No, he isn't

Inoyue, the other Dem senator is.

[burythehatchet]

16. NOOOOOOOO

Now when there's a senate quorum call we won't hear "Akaka...

[KoKo]

18. Akaka has a good voting record for Dems. There were a couple of

votes that we DU'ers might have had a problem with in the last year..but they were for Hawaii's interests. He's no Lieberman Dem and would be a bad loss for us. I wonder if he's being targeted by a DINO like McKinney was.

[Jack Rabbit]

19. . . . and another one will bite the dust

Does anyone know is Akaka will run in November on the Joe Lieberman Party ticket?

[Jed Dilligan]

20. You have them backwards.

Akaka's the old-school liberal democrat here, Case is more Lieberman/New Dem. Right from the horse's mouth:

Attempts to paint Case as a Republican in disguise are ridiculous. He's more conservative than other members of the Hawai'i congressional delegation, especially on economic and budgetary matters, but he votes with Democrats far more often than not — and has criticized Bush on social and environmental issues with rhetoric much more scathing than anything he's said about Akaka.

http://www.edcase.com/senate/campaign_central.php

[Dragon Turtle]

22. Thread on Case

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=147x1424