Charles Djou: How did a Republican win in Obama's Hawaii hometown?

Christian Science Monitor ^ | 05/23/2010 | Mark Sappenfield

[SeekAndFind]

Republican Charles Djou won the special election in Hawaii's First Congressional District – the Honolulu district where President Obama grew up. Djou is only the third Republican Hawaii has elected to Congress since statehood.

The victory of Republican Charles Djou in a special election in Hawaii’s First Congressional District – the heavily Democratic district where President Obama grew up – is a welcome political reversal for the GOP.

In 2008, Mr. Obama took the district with 70 percent of the vote, and no Hawaiian congressional district had returned a Republican for 20 years.

Moreover, the victory stopped a surprising winning streak for Democrats, who had won the past seven consecutive special elections for Congress, including three prominent races – two in upstate New York and one in Pennsylvania – in areas that tilt conservative.

Taking his cues from another Republican who won in firmly Democratic territory – Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts – Djou saw the election as a repudiation of one-party rule.

"The congressional seat is not owned by one political party. This congressional seat is owned by the people," he said.

Djou, a member of the Honolulu City Council, will be only the third Republican to represent Hawaii in Washington since Hawaii became a state in 1959.

But the Republicans will likely be careful not to tout the victory too loudly. Mr. Djou won with less than 40 percent of the vote, with two Democratic challengers taking 58 percent.

The rules change for the November election, and only one Democrat will be able to challenge Djou for the seat. Without two Democrats to split the vote between them, Djou knows that the math is against him.

"The voters gave us a short-term lease with an option to buy in November," Djou said, according to the Honolulu Advertiser.

[CommieCutter]

“Charles Djou: How did a Republican win in Obama’s Hawaii hometown?”

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They held a U.S. election in Kenya?

[SeekAndFind]

Republican Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou addresses his supporters Saturday in Honolulu after winning the special election to fill the seat vacated by Democrat Neil Abercrombie who resigned from Congress to run for governor.

[illiac]

He got the most votes....

[SeekAndFind]

Here’s the Washington POST’s Take on the Hawaii Election results :

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-now/2010/05/another_take_on_conservatives.html

Another take on conservatives organizing for Djou

Chris Bowers, the OpenLeft blogger who’s one of the most battle-hardened and influential members of the lefty Net roots, rakes me over the coals for my post on conservatives organizing for Hawaii GOP congressional candidate Charles Djou. Read it all, but here’s the key bit.

Crediting the online organizing Weigel lists for Republican success in Hawaii is like crediting a particularly nice font on yard signs, combined with a well-run press conference, for a campaign victory. Democrats are losing this campaign because there are two Dems splitting the vote. That’s it. Even if Djou has improved his position over the past couple of weeks, the two Democrats combined still lead him by 50%-36% in the latest poll. With voting underway, this campaign would be over if only one Democrat was in the race.

That’s basically true — make this a two-man race, and Djou outperforms the last few Republican candidates but goes down to defeat. But why haven’t the liberal Net roots rallied around one candidate or another? Why aren’t Democratic groups getting their stories straight and backing one candidate, to eliminate the possibility of a Djou plurality win? Why can’t they make an attack stick to Djou? If only by comparison, conservative activists (and as in my original post I’m referring to established D.C. groups and to newer activists) are maximizing their effort, exploiting the resources of activists in the other 49 states and holding successful fundraising drives. They’ve been on point while Democrats have stumbled. You don’t need to pretend they’ve broken the mold. It’s that the Democrats can’t find the mold.

[freedumb2003]

Let’s admit it — it was a fluke. 2 stubborn democrats split the (d) vote down the middle and he was able to take advantage of it.

[SeekAndFind]

He got the most votes....

Good, the next time someone asks me how did a left-wing, Marxists who place of birth is questionable win the Presidency, I'll give him the same answer.

I'm sure he'll be satisfied with my response.

In a related question, I once asked a college professor what he taught in college. His response : "COURSES"

[Zeddicus]

I agree. While the outcome is good, I think we have to admit that if there was only 1 Demonrat running, Djou would have lost.

[moose2004]

The Wash Po and left wingers were are giddy after Dem Bill Owens won NY-23’s special election precisely because a RINO and a Conservative candidate split the Repub vote in a heavily Repub district. Pay back is hell isn’t it.

[Liz]

OBAMA THE KISS OF DEATH Seem that Democrats feel an “Obama” endorsement is the political “kiss of death”.

Democrats' outline terms under which Ohaha will campaign for candidates:

(1) No Obama photos with candidates.

(2) Obama does not stand too close to candidates at rallies.

(3) Obama does not mention Democrat, and the candidate's name, in the same sentence.

(4) Obama does not mention healthcare and if he has a cold or a cough, he stays in the WH.

(5) Under no circumstances will rally entertainers sing or play, "Chicago, Chicago, that Toddlin' Town."

(6) No foods served with hot sauce.

(7) All contributions from the DNC are returned unopened.

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Several elections have been a direct rejection of Obama himself – voters rejected his personal appeals on behalf of NJ's Jon Corzine, Mass' Martha Coakley and PA party-switcher Arlen Specter.

Both Coakley and Specter enjoyed commanding leads over their opponents prior to Obama’s active engagement in their races, with Specter enjoying a 21-point cushion over Dem Rep. Joe Sestak as recently as last month. Sestak defeated Specter 54-46. Similarly, Sen. Scott Brown trailed Coakley by 17 points just two weeks before pulling off his improbable five-point upset victory. ...that was after Obama made an emergency fly-in for Coakley.

Obama campaigned three times in the solid Dem state of NJ-----Biden was there twice. Obama ads ran continuously on pricey NY media. The WH took charge of all aspects of Corzine's campaign. And still incumbent Corzine lost.

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DO THE DEM BIRDBRAINS GET IT YET? Democrats' Arrogance and Sneers At Townhalls Precipitated Their Downfall. Dims are drowning in their own hubris and arrogance.

Obama's losing political altitude faster than Flight 1549. It was only a year ago that the Ohaha team was shoveling dirt on Repub conservatism. James Carville was writing books about 40 years of "Democrat dominance," boasting that the Republican Party was dead. Stupid Liberals believed their own hype that Obama would be the black FDR........conniving to keep him in office 3-4 terms.

The fact that infamous liberals like Kennedy (RI), Dodd, and others are "retiring" indicates they are getting negative feedback back home. They know they can't get reelected, and campaign contributions are drying up, as well.

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Americans are angry at their economic vulnerability. Angry at the deterioration of our culture. Angry that they are forced to subsidize freeloading lawbreakers from Third World satraps so that US politicians can get new voters. Angry at our nation’s deteriorating position in the world, at our debts and deficits, our spending and taxing, our threatened security in a world of weapons of mass destruction.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

The Democraps are going to stomped into the ground in Novmber.

[SeekAndFind]

2 stubborn democrats split the (d) vote down the middle and he was able to take advantage of it.

That's my take too. It isn't that Hawaii suddenly favored the more conservative candidate. If you added up the votes for the dis-unified and sqabbling Dems, they'd outnumber Charles Djou's. He's probably going to be a one-termer.

If this is the case, we have to worry about Marco Rubio in Florida because Crist is going to do the same to him.

[moose2004]

Same as NY-23 in reverse. But as far as I’m concerned a win is a win, I’ll take it.

[Kansas58]

Well, the Dem “wins” have either been “flukes” or expected, so -— we need to rub this in their noses!

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

How did a Republican win in Obama's Hawaii hometown?

The same way a Democrat won NY-23 - his ideological opponents split the vote.

Ought to serve as a warning, in some small way, against third partyism, too. Conservatives need to make sure we back ONE candidate, whether in a primary or in a general. This is how Coats got the nomination in Indiana - he had three (or was it four?) opponents, all claiming to be the One True Conservative and the Tea Party Candidate, and they split the conservative vote, letting the RINO win it.

[GeronL]

Moreover, the victory stopped a surprising winning streak for Democrats, who had won the past seven consecutive special elections for Congress, including three prominent races – two in upstate New York and one in Pennsylvania – in areas that tilt conservative.

PA-12 is 2-1Democrat

[moose2004]

“If this is the case, we have to worry about Marco Rubio in Florida because Crist is going to do the same to him.”

No chance, no how, not gonna happen, Marco will win by 8 - 10 points. Also, how did Linda Lingle get elected twice as Governor of Hawaii? She’s a Repub in the bluest State in the Union. Djou can get re-elected, but he has to perform well.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: Same as NY-23 in reverse. But as far as I’m concerned a win is a win, I’ll take it.

I’d really be happier if the majority of Hawaiians realize that liberals are BAD for the USA and BAD for their state, and that conservative principles as manifested by a consistent, conservative representative and leader is GOOD for them.

Unfortunately, this election that Djou won does not tell us that at all.

[GeronL]

14 candidates splitting the vote.

That won’t happen in November.

[ExTexasRedhead]

Anyone in the MSM consider that We The People are not morons and that we realize that the DC slimes are destroying our country, stealing our freedom, and that Congress has Declared WAR upon the American people??? How about this Regime governing against the will of the American people?

We The People are not Useful Idiots to be marched off to Zero’s Hospice Centers like the Jews in Germany in the 1940’s.

The Obama Kool Aid drinkers are fewer and fewer every minute. The obvious premeditated destruction of our country is being questioned and will be exposed; count on it! The American spirit will not be crushed by the likes of the arrogant Elitists in this Regime and this RAT and RINO-infested Congress.