HI-1: Kaniela Ing vs Doug Chin

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Still wish it was Beth Fukumoto.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Still wish it was Beth Fukumoto.

Ing and Chen will both be much better

I really like Beth because we both have similar stories and similar when it comes to our party switches.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Still wish it was Beth Fukumoto.

Ing and Chen will both be much better

I really like Beth because we both have similar stories and similar when it comes to our party switches.

You wanted to run for higher office in a state that abhors your original party, so that was a good opportunity to acknowledge your original party was morally bankrupt?

We both dislike Trump and felt that the party was slipping into utter insanity. Jesus, you didn't have to berate me. As for my change in ideology, I don't have the time to explain why I changed right now.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

I do think a lot of the attention on Fukumoto has to do with the fact that she's freaking gorgeous.

That, and her party change.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Still wish it was Beth Fukumoto.

Ing and Chen will both be much better

I really like Beth because we both have similar stories and similar when it comes to our party switches.

You wanted to run for higher office in a state that abhors your original party, so that was a good opportunity to acknowledge your original party was morally bankrupt?

We both dislike Trump and felt that the party was slipping into utter insanity. Jesus, you didn't have to berate me. As for my change in ideology, I don't have the time to explain why I changed right now. F*** off.

O...k.  This was a rebuke of Fukumoto, not you. But now you're on Ignore, so.

Oof that one hit me hard -_-

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Still wish it was Beth Fukumoto.

Ing and Chen will both be much better

I really like Beth because we both have similar stories and similar when it comes to our party switches.

You wanted to run for higher office in a state that abhors your original party, so that was a good opportunity to acknowledge your original party was morally bankrupt?

We both dislike Trump and felt that the party was slipping into utter insanity.

True, the Republican Party has changed dramatically since [checks notes] uh, 2013, when she first took office. No, her switch is purely opportunistic and it would be absolutely tragic if a Republican climbs into higher office in the non-Atlas bluest of non-Atlas Blue States in the future.

Not everything a politician does is opportunistic, bud.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Still wish it was Beth Fukumoto.

Ing and Chen will both be much better

I really like Beth because we both have similar stories and similar when it comes to our party switches.

You wanted to run for higher office in a state that abhors your original party, so that was a good opportunity to acknowledge your original party was morally bankrupt?

We both dislike Trump and felt that the party was slipping into utter insanity.

True, the Republican Party has changed dramatically since [checks notes] uh, 2013, when she first took office. No, her switch is purely opportunistic and it would be absolutely tragic if a Republican climbs into higher office in the non-Atlas bluest of non-Atlas Blue States in the future.

Not everything a politician does is opportunistic, bud.

Seems awfully naive to think this particular action was not, though.

I'm not trying to say that this wasn't opportunistic, I'm just saying that not all politicians are opportunists, and that I relate to Fukumoto.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Beth Fukumoto is IN!

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/hawaii-rep-beth-fukumoto-republican-turned-democrat-announces-bid-congress-n860986

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Yeah, Fukumoto has a really good chance at winning this.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Yeah, Fukumoto has a really good chance at winning this.

Does she really? Look at who's in the other district. The state voted overwhelmingly for Bernie.

And?

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

What's funny is that I kind of knew she was going to do it. I left a comment on her Instagram page urging her to run. She liked it and followed me.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Why would any Democrat in Hawaii support her? She very clearly only changed parties so she could run for this.

She’s the most mainstream Democrat running, funnily enough. She changed parties in January after being scorched by Republicans for addressing the March for Women in January 2017. Hanabusa announced her run for Governor in September 2017, long after Fukumoto switched parties. I don’t think it was opportunistic at all. Hawaii is an odd place, no Republican candidate for president has won a single State House district since 2004, the ones that do get elected are generally unorthodox by mainland Republican standards.

Ing is too left-wing, with unorthodox positions on immigration, and a host of other issues. He also lost a lot of favour with Democrats over attacking the revered late Senator Inouye  Mercado Kim and Chin have anti-gay histories.

Chin in particular has fallen flat, due to a scandal with his campaign manager drawing a salary from Mark Takai’s campaign funds for over a year after his death. He’s also been relegated to a very low-profile position as Lieutenant Governor.

Pretty much why I think Fukumoto is going to win.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

I don't think that there is really any conservative republican that's in the Hawaii state legislature. Fukumoto has always struck me as a more centrist-Democrat in her policies. Like Gauche said, she represents a district that votes for Democratic Presidential nominees by landslides, so in order for her to be elected to represent that district, she has to be somewhat liberal. Trump's ascension to the Presidency turned off a lot of moderates and drove them to the left. Beth is one of them.

And again, like Gauche said, a candidate who wins in a district that typically heavily votes the opposite party shows their political power. Chin and Mercado are the frontrunners, but I expect this to become a three-horse race, with Fukumoto taking the W. The establishment is going to back her. Her story of being turned off by Trump is perfect for the Democratic Party's narrative.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

I don't think that there is really any conservative republican that's in the Hawaii state legislature. Fukumoto has always struck me as a more centrist-Democrat in her policies. Like Gauche said, she represents a district that votes for Democratic Presidential nominees by landslides, so in order for her to be elected to represent that district, she has to be somewhat liberal. Trump's ascension to the Presidency turned off a lot of moderates and drove them to the left. Beth is one of them.

And again, like Gauche said, a candidate who wins in a district that typically heavily votes the opposite party shows their political power. Chin and Mercado are the frontrunners, but I expect this to become a three-horse race, with Fukumoto taking the W. The establishment is going to back her. Her story of being turned off by Trump is perfect for the Democratic Party's narrative.

This is flat-out false. Fukumoto left precisely because 3/5 Republicans remaining in her caucus wanted her to be a bomb-thrower. It's pretty well-documented in all her interview. Cynthia Thielen is the only moderate Republican left, and she's like 200 years old.

You didn't really rebut what I said.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

I don't think that there is really any conservative republican that's in the Hawaii state legislature. Fukumoto has always struck me as a more centrist-Democrat in her policies. Like Gauche said, she represents a district that votes for Democratic Presidential nominees by landslides, so in order for her to be elected to represent that district, she has to be somewhat liberal. Trump's ascension to the Presidency turned off a lot of moderates and drove them to the left. Beth is one of them.

And again, like Gauche said, a candidate who wins in a district that typically heavily votes the opposite party shows their political power. Chin and Mercado are the frontrunners, but I expect this to become a three-horse race, with Fukumoto taking the W. The establishment is going to back her. Her story of being turned off by Trump is perfect for the Democratic Party's narrative.

This is flat-out false. Fukumoto left precisely because 3/5 Republicans remaining in her caucus wanted her to be a bomb-thrower. It's pretty well-documented in all her interview. Cynthia Thielen is the only moderate Republican left, and she's like 200 years old.

You didn't really rebut what I said.

Maybe you should research things before making statements like "there's no conservative Republicans in the Hawaii legislature."

'

"I don't think there is really" implying that I don't find many Hawaiian republicans as conservative.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Still rooting for Fukumoto.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Fukumoto won the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly's endorsement. They're a union. Not sure how big of a deal that is, but it's her first major endorsement in the race.

When is the primary?

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Ing has his issues but Fukumoto voted against marriage equality in 2013 so it's not like she's always been some great progressive. Ing is still the best choice here imo.

Also, Ocasio-Cortez has endorsed him:
https://twitter.com/Ocasio2018/status/1012143777694306304

She definitely has the potential to boost Ing's image since her social media following has exploded since her election.

Still rooting for Fukumoto here.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

The candidates had a primary debate yesterday.

From the twitter chatter-

Chin came out the most convincing.

Fukumoto did a good job brushing off questions of her Republican past.

Mercado Kim's anti-gay past was brought up.

Fukumoto and Ing sparred, Case and Mercado Kim sparred.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

The largest union in the state, the state government employee’s union, endorsed Donna Mercado Kim. She probably wins, but hopefully there’ll be at least one more public poll of the race.

“Let’s pick the worst candidate in the race and endorse them!”

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

So at this point it looks like Fukumoto is the best (least atrocious) candidate. Funny because her voter regustration card said “Republican” just two years ago.

Are Sens. Schatz and Hirono going to endorse?

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Mercado Kim, unfortunately.

Will she join the Blue Dogs?

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Ugh, Mason-Dixon poll

Case +9

Case: 36%
Chin: 27%
Mercado Kim: 14%
Ing: 6%
Martin: 2%
Fukumoto: 1%
Undecided: 14%

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/docs/Mason_Dixon_Hawaii.pdf

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Ugh, Mason-Dixon poll

Case +9

Case: 36%
Chin: 27%
Mercado Kim: 14%
Ing: 6%
Martin: 2%
Fukumoto: 1%
Undecided: 14%

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/docs/Mason_Dixon_Hawaii.pdf

It has a very low sample size, but yeah, definitely not good news.

I would actually prefer Mercado Kim over Case.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Schatz, Hirono, and Ige need to jump into this race and torpedo Ed Case. It wouldn't hurt for Hanabusa to throw her support behind a candidate as well.