Rep. Case Challenges Hawaii Sen. Akaka

Democratic U.S. Representative Ed Case, right, embraces Democratic U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka are seen after their debate at the PBS Hawaii Studio on the campus of the University of Hawaii, in a Thursday, Aug. 31, 2006 file photo, in Honolulu. The incumbent Akaka will run against Case in the Democratic primary for the Senate on Sept. 23. Case called for Hawaii voters to have the "courage to choose" the next generation of leadership from the islands, while Sen. Daniel Akaka said his experience is needed to continue representing Hawaii in the U.S. Senate. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia, File) (Marco Garcia - AP)

Hawaii Republicans are struggling. Jerry Coffee, a former Vietnam prisoner of war, was their best prospect until he left for a month in Africa after announcing his candidacy, then abandoned the race due to illness. Gov. Linda Lingle is urging fellow Republicans to vote for Coffee in the GOP primary anyway, enabling her to name a replacement on the November ballot.

Case argues the best way to serve Hawaii's influence in Congress would be to replace Akaka now with a younger, more vigorous Democrat who can start building up seniority before both old senators step down.

Hawaii, dependent on federal military spending, could end up following the path of Oregon, whose federal dollars steeply declined after Sens. Bob Packwood and Mark Hatfield left office in 1995 and 1996, Case argues.

The war in Iraq is also a critical issue in Hawaii, a state with a firm pro-military history but strong opposition to President Bush.

Akaka trumpets his repeated votes against the war and his vote with only 12 other senators for troop withdrawal by July 2007. Case has sided with lawmakers who contend that a strict timetable could prove disastrous.

That helped secure the support of David Elarionoff of Honolulu, who said he will vote for Case because "just pulling out is far worse than staying." George Okimoto, an undecided voter, isn't buying Case's pitch for a younger senator. "Age doesn't mean anything to me," he said. "It's not that simple."

Neither candidate has much to tout in the way of congressional accomplishments.

Akaka's showpiece legislation, which carries his name, would give Native Hawaiians the same recognition as other indigenous groups such as American Indians, but it failed to advance in Washington again this year.

Case has not taken a position on the bill other than to say Native Hawaiians, some of whom oppose the legislation, should decide how they want to be governed.

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On the Net:

Daniel Akaka: http://akaka2006.org/

Ed Case: http://www.edcase.com/