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Ed Case Secures Primary Win, Ramping Up for Sixth Term in Congress
Democratic Representative Ed Case of Hawaii successfully defended his position in a recent primary election, positioning himself for a probable sixth full term in the House of Representatives. The election took place within Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District, a seat that Case has held since he was elected during the 2018 midterms.
Case’s initial foray into Congress began when he won a special election in 2002 for the 2nd Congressional District, taking over from the late Representative Patsy Mink, who passed away due to pneumonia. Following a subsequent hiatus from Congress after leaving in January 2007, Case returned in January 2019 to represent the current district.
Political Landscape and Challenges
This election cycle, Case garnered attention as part of a group of House Democrats advocating for President Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. Notably, this request was granted later in the month. In July, Case expressed his apprehensions about Biden’s capacity to manage another four-year term, stating, “This has nothing to do with his character and record. If it did, there would be no decision to make.”
Experience in Competitive Primaries
Having previously navigated crowded primary landscapes, Case overcame 44 candidates in the 2002 election to fill Mink’s remaining term, and he outperformed six competitors in the primary for his current seat in 2018. This time, his competition was limited to a single challenger, Cecil Hale, who has not made his campaign finance data public through the Federal Election Commission. In contrast, Case raised nearly $120,000 from individual contributors and concluded the primary cycle with approximately $260,000 in cash reserves.
Strategic Implications for House Democrats
Case’s anticipated victory in the upcoming November election is seen as an important boost for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is working towards regaining control of the House with a more substantial Democratic majority. Hawaii is a solid Democratic bastion, with both its congressional districts and Senate seats occupied by Democrats despite ongoing issues like the high cost of living, which tend to be effective rallying points for Republicans in other regions.
On the Republican side, Patrick Largey is running unopposed for his party’s nomination to challenge Case during the November elections.
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