Case calls Hirono The heat is starting to rise in the Democratic primary race for governor.
chicken as campaign
heats up
Sparks fly over campaign reform
Candidates differ on education
By Richard Borreca
rborreca@starbulletin.comIn his harshest criticism of the campaign season, Rep. Ed Case said one of his opponents, Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono, is avoiding a second live televised debate next week "because she is afraid to face voters.
"She's afraid of answering tough questions because she has no plan to balance the state budget, revitalize the economy, help local business and reform our public education system," Case said yesterday.
KITV 4 News and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin invited the three major Democratic candidates for governor -- Hirono, Case and D.G. "Andy" Anderson -- to participate in a live televised debate on Sept. 13.
Hirono's campaign manager, Robert Toyofuku, said in a news release that Hirono has not ruled out the debate and denied that Hirono is avoiding it.
Toyofuku added that Hirono will participate with Case and Anderson in a debate today on KHON-TV at 7 p.m.
"Obviously, the Star-Bulletin/KITV poll is affecting Ed. He's 26 points behind. ... We are disappointed that Ed has chosen to attack Mazie without having his facts straight," Toyofuku said.
Tod Pritchard, KITV news director, who has been arranging the debates, said he is still waiting to hear from Hirono. Case and Anderson have already agreed to the debate, Pritchard said.
"To be fair, they (Hirono) have never formally accepted being in the debate. They have shown interest but never said they formally said they would join in," Pritchard said. If Hirono does not agree, the debate may not be held, Pritchard said.
State Office of Elections
