Many Republicans are looking to the Hawaii 1st Congressional District race for the next Scott Brown moment. Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou (R) has a good chance of winning the seat because the May special election has no primaries and multiple Democratic candidates are likely to split votes, giving him an advantage. Even similarities have been drawn between Djou and Brown:
To be sure, they share plenty of superficial similarities – they’re both lawyers, both army reserve officers, both in typically Democratic jurisdictions and they’ve both seized upon the electorate’s desire for an independent representative.
With regards to his independent streak, Djou is already showing his stripes. He notes that the Republican Party has struggled to propose clear alternatives. “It is good that Republicans nationally have articulated what they are for, but it would be great if they could be… more forceful as to what they are for,” he said. “If the Republicans clearly articulated what they were in favor of, and the Democrats more willing to listen, there are compromises there.”
And the man has a good sense of humor too:
But the comparisons to Brown should only go so far, Djou insisted. “One big difference is, I have no nude photos in Cosmo,” he joked.
Noticeably absent from his campaign website is his stance on abortion (he’s pro-choice), even though there’s a section for “Faith and Family.” Abortion groups and PACs have contributed money to his campaign, and he’s ranked #13 (out of 19) among 2010 House candidates. Remember Dede Scozzafava in the NY-23 debacle? She’s ranked #2 (major support from pro-choice groups) and was labeled a RINO by most of the Right. Consequently, with conservatives rallying hard against her, her campaign imploded and faltered…
As much as I’d like to see another Republican victory in a blue state, I cannot endorse Charles Djou based on his pro-choice stance. Djou has made his independent, moderate voice a centerpiece of his platform — a good strategy considering HI-01 voters — but as a Christian conservative his “moderate” view on social issues is troubling.
- See also:
- Gov. Palin gambles political future
5 Comments until now
Frankly, I don’t think he can win. He is polling at a distant 3rd behind both the Dems in the race.
Yeah, I’m surprised at the latest polls with Djou trailing. I mean, wasn’t he supposed to be another Scott Brown? He received a lot of attention from Republicans and some conservatives, but it appears the momentum has waned???
He’s been in the race for more nearly two years and still polling third? He is the typical Republican in Name Only (RINO) candidate with his socially liberal stances. If he’s fiscally conservative and socially liberal, he sounds an awful lot like the Democrat front-runner, Ed Case…. What sets him apart besides the R in front of his name? Given Case’s experience and intelligence, Djou doesn’t offer anything new for me to support…
Djou may be pro-abortion, but witholding an endorsement of him will just be a net gain of zero. The other candidates hold the same view.
At least with Djou, we can get a vote to control outrageous spending, tax moderation and rational thinking.
Case votes for increased spending and taxation. That’s the main difference between Case and Djou.
Djou is the most conservative among the candidates, I don’t understand your reason to not endorse him when you have a choice between mostly conservative and ultra liberal?
I’m not going to endorse a candidate simply because s/he is the “more conservative” of the field. The issue of abortion is a top issue for me as a Christian, so although it makes sense for folks to support Djou for the conservative cause, I cannot endorse him because of his abortion stance.
Add your Comment!