U.S. Chamber Poll: GOP’s Lingle Ahead in Hawaii Senate Race

WSJ ^ | August 18, 2012 | Patrick O'Conner

[what's up]

Republicans will face far better odds of retaking the Senate, if they can make a state like Hawaii competitive. A new round of polling from the business-friendly U.S Chamber of Commerce suggests President Barack Obama’s home state might actually be in play.

[what's up]

Apparently, Hirono (D) will now debate Lingle (R) because she is falling behind; she had been trying to avoid it.

This is a re-match for the ladies; The GOP's Lingle beat Hirono by 5% several years ago in the HI Governor's race.

Lingle is out-raising Hirono by $1 million so far.

It would be a pretty bad blow for Obama if HI went Repub in the Senate. I don't know why Hirono has been faltering lately but I suspect it could be because of Obama's recent gay marriage stance; HI voted down gay marriage in a referendum.

[arrogantsob]

More indication that the polls showing The Disaster as competitive are whacky. He can’t even get a RAT elected in Hawaii, his “home” state? I’m seeing total wipeout and I’m a pessimist.

[tsowellfan]

Linda Lingle’s Website

http://www.lingle2012.com/

[Republican Wildcat]

This is a re-match for the ladies; The GOP's Lingle beat Hirono by 5% several years ago in the HI Governor's race.

Interesting...if they liked her better than Hirono then, they probably think the same now.

[paudio]

Hirono is among the leftover from Japanese American politicians that dominated the state for half century. While in the past various 'minority' ethnics in Hawaii tended to combine forces and voted Democrats, today they're more diverse political-wise. The influence of Japanese American as a block decreases considerably. The current Democrat Governor/Lt.Gov are both whites.

While Lingle would be seen as RINO by most Freepers, she's seen as a different kind of Republican by many people in the state. They see her as independent person, while Hirono is seen as old-boys' club candidate that would just follow instruction. That Hirono has been in Washington for a while and Lingle has stayed in the state after her tenure as a governor ended only help her case.

[what's up]

Hirono had been up in the polls until recently.

As I recall the debates turned the tide in the Governor's race a few years back. I hope the same happens this time around.

Lingle is an excellent debater...very clear speaker and unflappable.

[what's up]

He can’t even get a RAT elected in Hawaii, his “home” state?

Time will tell.

I really feel that Obama's gay marriage declaration could do him in more than anything else.

He needed to come out for gay marriage to get the San Francisco money, but I think it will take a toll in HI and even in the black community to a degree.

[DIRTYSECRET]

OK my friends: It’s time to grab the bull by the horns. Lingle is not ‘one of us.’ Doesn’t matter. Akaka has been in that seat for 30 years. A GOP pickup would be BIG! Same in N.M. It’s time to get behind these ladies(+ Scott Brown) and take those DEM seats for the next 6 years. When they take office THEN go after them. If they end up like the Maine twins then we will have to work harder to straighten them out or give the eat back to the Dems in 6 years. Consider the alternative....

[BillyBoy]

I have to admit, even though she's a "popular, two-term elected Governor" and the strongest candidate the GOP could have picked, I didn't see this one coming and didn't think Lingle would be terribly competitive for this longtime RAT Senate seat. This poll might actually be legit and the RINO has a shot at taking this seat.

I'd have to get drunk out of my mind to vote for her though... Lingle was an awful Governor and I dread the thought of having another liberal "R" in the Senate, even if it gives us a majority. I'm thinking the pacific tropical version of Susan Collins.

[Islander2]

Doesn’t Hirono have to get by Ed Case in the primary first?
My understanding of the Dems here is that if Case wins, the Hirono faction (labor and Inoue) would not be enthusiastic voters and might just sit it out. How the Case backers will vote, should Hirono win is a big question.

[BobL]

If I were advising Romney, I would tell him to put his attention in states that are largely white, as those voters will be most open to reversing their last vote, and voting against the President. There are a LOT of those states in the country, and they can get Romney over the top, without having to win all the normally-battleground states.

[arrogantsob]

The homo marriage perversity won’t cost him anything in the Black community. Barely a vote.

[cynwoody]

Lingle was an awful Governor and I dread the thought of having another liberal "R" in the Senate, even if it gives us a majority. I'm thinking the pacific tropical version of Susan Collins.

So, for whom are you going to vote?

Anyone who would prefer a Democrat senator to a Republican, even the most worthless RINO, obviously hasn't a clue as to how that organization works.

The goal this November must be ousting Obama and electing a House and Senate who will unravel his legislative achievements. In the voting booth, one must be prepared to set aside one's principles if so doing furthers the objective! Principles in the voting booth are for children!

[what's up]

Case has raised only about $600,000 to Hirono's $3 million and Lingle's $4 million. Looks like enthusiasm is not there for Case even though he has Inouye's endorsement.

[what's up]

The one thing Lingle did which was great was going against the green lobby to get a HI inter-island ferry running again.

Lingle had it running for awhile as she pushed the advantage for business locals who could travel from island to island promoting their family businesses.

But then the Whale People came in something fierce and defeated her and the ferry.

Lingle is a friend of Palin and introduced Sarah at the GOP convention in '08. I can't say anything like that about the Maine twins.

[Dapper 26]

Lingle is a RINO for sure and proudly proclaims to be one. She says she will do “what’s best for the people of Hawaii” (what does that say about the Republican Platform), fashions herself after Olympia Snowe, proudly proclaims to be non-partisan and will cross the isle when she thinks she needs to do so. I dare anyone to find her proclaim, anywhere in her campaign literature, that she is a Republican.
As governor, Hawaii state government grew. Her support for the race based Akaka Bill - not supported by the majority of people in Hawaii - is a typical example of her “supporting the people of Hawaii”.......as she sees it.

[paudio]

I dare anyone to find her proclaim, anywhere in her campaign literature, that she is a Republican.

"Biography. Linda Lingle served as Governor of the State of Hawaii from 2002-2010. She was the first woman, first person of Jewish ancestry, and the first Republican in 40 years to lead the Aloha State."

Unless, of course, you want to split hair by arguing that the biography section on her website is not part of 'campaign literature'?

[Impy]

What matters to us is Black TURNOUT. Obama will get 95% of those that vote but they are less motivated to vote this time and the queer stuff doesn’t help him with that.

[Impy]

I doubt gays will matter much in this race.

Lingle is personally popular.

Another Republican has gone off the rails. Alaska Rep. Don Young has endorsed Hirono for some reason. Like idiot Coburn with Manchin he’s talking about the rat’s bipartisanship. Newflash you sack of garbage, Hirono is a communist. And your sorry butt should be kicked out of the party. Maybe your girlfriend will give her your committee assignments.

This is worse than Coburn cause Lingle appears to have a much better shot at winning than Raese in WV.

He must be banging her, that’s all I got.

[fieldmarshaldj]

The HI GOP was left in even worse shape after her tenure than it was with Willard in MA (in other words, it’s dead). As I’ve said many times, I favor granting HI full independence. We don’t need a state that is thousands of miles from the mainland sending an all-Communist delegation being the difference between a GOP and Democrat Senate majority.