Freedom Line Blog

It’s been a while since former Rep. Charles Djou (R-HI) lost his reelection bid last November.  CFIF profiled Djou prior to his upset victory in a special election last May.  Now, it looks like Djou might run for a U.S. Senate seat, but only if former Governor Linda Lingle (R-HI) decides against it.

Of the two, Djou is the more conservative; especially when it comes to fiscal matters.  That said, either candidate would certainly be an improvement over retiring Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI).

Loyal readers may recall CFIF profiled then-candidate Charles Djou’s special election campaign for Hawaii’s first congressional district.  Since winning the seat in May Djou has gone from a hard-working underdog to a targeted incumbent working hard to get reelected in the heavily Democrat district.

During his two months in office, Djou voted against the Democrats’ overhaul of the financial industry, for the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and praised President Barack Obama on the floor of the House for pursuing a trade agreement with South Korea.

If Djou pulls out a win in November, he’ll continue the Aloha State’s history of not voting out an incumbent member of Congress.  Faced with the prospect of the alternative, conservatives everywhere should be praying for at least two more years of Charles Djou in Congress.

The last few days offered a study in contrasts.  Charles Djou won a plurality special election becoming just the third Republican to represent Hawaii in Congress.  He did so by sticking relentlessly to a pro-growth, low tax message that resonated in a heavily Democratic district.  While Djou won’t vote with the GOP on every issue, his commitment to fiscal conservatism will be a huge factor in whether he gets reelected to a full term in November.

Contrast Djou’s steady drum beat approach to Rand Paul’s improvisational jazz.  The Kentucky GOP senate nominee erased the euphoria of a double digit beat down of the establishment candidate last Tuesday by questioning the constitutionality of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, a federal law mandating racial equality.  His points aside, Paul took his eye off the ball by engaging the issue.  The 2010 midterm election results – and Rand Paul’s popularity – are not the product of a national rethink on the scope of Congress’s power to enforce the 14^th Amendment’s equal protection clause.

It’s about the economy, Rand.  The safest ground for limited government types this cycle is to stay on message that tax-and-spend must end.  Just Djou it.

Republican Charles Djou appears to be closing in on the special election victory CFIF highlighted months ago.  If he does become the congressman from President Barack Obama’s Hawaiian hometown, not only will the Aloha State be sending a staunch fiscal conservative to the House of Representatives, it will mean Djou will have the power of incumbency in the fall.  Assuming he wins, it will be interesting to see how he uses his voting record to maintain his conservative credentials while not alienating a majority of voters in a heavily Democratic district.

A remarkable event is brewing in President Obama’s old childhood stomping grounds (see CFIF’s Ashton Ellis reporting here).  The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has cleared the path for Republican Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou and his congressional bid for Hawaii’s open seat by pulling all of its resources from his opposition.

In a May 22 special election, the candidates for the seat vacated by Democrat Neil Abercrombie are running without a primary.   Djou could win, with two candidates splitting the Democratic vote.  The DCCC ad pull follows recent polling showing Djou with an 8-point margin over the leading Democrat.

Djou would be the first Republican to represent Hawaii in Congress in twenty years and would be only the third member of the GOP to serve as a representative in the island state’s history.

Hopefully, Charles Djou (R-HI) will be throwing a luau for all the GOP heavies weighing in on his race to replace the retiring congressman, Neil Abercrombie (D-HI).  The May 22^nd special election is getting Djou plenty of face time with CFIF and National Review.  Now, he can claim endorsements by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, and outgoing Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

Pray tell, could fiscal conservatism be set for an electoral comeback?

You know a candidate is a serious contender when the opposition starts blasting away.  The problem for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is that Republican Charles Djou is about as squeaky clean as congressional candidates come.  The recent subject of a CFIF profile, Djou is running hard on a platform of low taxes and economic growth, even signing the Americans for Tax Reform pledge.  Of course, to the DCCC’s ears, that sounds like backhanding the economic little guy.

Since Hawaii’s economy relies heavily on tourist dollars, it isn’t likely that Aloha State voters will buy what national Democrats are selling, even if House leadership decides to back one of the two contenders challenging Djou in the open special election on May 22^nd.

Sometimes, voters just prefer good, honest, straightforward candidates.