Kris Schultz

In the blogosphere, you hear tons about Lieberman v. Lamont, but I want to bring another U.S. Senate primary to your attention. Senator Dan Akaka in Hawaii is up for reelection, and Congressman Ed Case is challenging him in the primary this fall.

Case has not been in congress long, but for the time he has been there, he has shown himself to be a Democrat-in-name-only. Case has said he supports Bush in Iraq, voted to fund it just as Bush wanted, supports the Patriot act, and even took up for Rummy and Cheney’s remarks about Guantanamo.

Basically, you can boil the race into one contrast:

Akaka = pro U.S. troop withdrawl & anti Bush’s failed Iraq war

Case=supports Bush and his war

With Akaka, you have the assurance of a senator who has carried water for Democrats and stood the test of time. However, reading the main blogs, you won’t hear much yet from progressives about Akaka, but you will hear conservatives backing Case. Well, I feel it is a much better use of our energies to fight off the DLC/in-name-only-democrat Ed Case, and protect a good incumbent who does represent progressive values.

If you’ve found yourself watching the Lieberman race because of the war, well, this is your race. Protect a good incumbent, and help it get more attention. Back Akaka.