Interesting to see that several longtime progressive activists have rallied around Doug Chin’s candidacy for the 1st Congressional District seat.

Here’s a video featuring Gaye Chan and Nandita Sharma making their case for Chin.

Democratic Party activist Bart Dame has also offered a strong endorsement of Chin, which is being featured by Chin’s campaign. Bart initially offered his thoughts on Facebook, and they were subsequently shared elsewhere, including the campaign website.

I am supporting Doug Chin precisely because Doug is the only candidate in the race who is both acceptable to me AND in a position to block the election of Ed Case.

My first big criticism of Ed Case was that he believes in looking out for the wealthy with the hope the benefits would “trickle down” to the rest of us. During Ed Case’s last tenure in Congress, he sided with Republicans on taxes, which most of you know means a lot more than just taxes – i.e., wealth inequality, health care, housing costs, etc.

My second criticism of Ed Case is his uncritical, even naive belief that a heavy reliance on US military might can impose order on other countries. This was so obvious when Case uncritically supported Bush’s wars at the time and explicitly criticized the late Senator Akaka and implicitly the late Senator Inouye for their unwillingness to go along with the Bush-Cheney administration. I have heard traces of that same naive militarism in his current campaign.

While I think some of my friends are supporting other candidates in this race, we have had two recent polls which show only Doug Chin is in a position to defeat Ed Case. I recognize many voters are so deeply committed to their candidate that they cannot entertain an appeal to switch to another, more electable candidate. This appeal is not directed to them but to those who recognize the practical choice facing us is between Doug Chin and Ed Case. I do not believe Ed Case will stand up to Trump when he pushes for additional tax cuts for the rich, but I believe Doug Chin would. I do not believe Ed Case would stand up to Trump when he abuses his executive powers. I KNOW Doug Chin will because he already has, by going to court on our behalf. Nor do I believe Ed Case, given his record, would stand up to Donald Trump when he threatens other nations with military attacks. I do believe Doug Chin would.

As I said, I believe, at this final stage of the Primary election, this has gotten down to a two-person race: either Ed Case or Doug Chin will be our next representative in Congress. In that race, I have no trouble deciding. Doug Chin gets my vote.

An interesting election season.