1. What are you telling voters about why you want to be their representative in Congress?

I care deeply about the people of Hawaii and feel that they need and deserve a Congressman who shares their values and who will be effective in helping them achieve our common goals such as improving education, fighting crime and the drug problem, improving housing and transportation and resolving other problems.

Not only does the incumbent not share the values of the majority of Hawaii's people, he actually looks down on people who hold to traditional values. He believes that those of us who oppose same-sex marriage and partial birth abortion are backwards and small-minded. If he doesn't respect us, how can we trust him to carry out our will or represent us in Congress? 

Ed Case has no real power or influence in Congress. That's why he's so ineffective. Since he has been elected to Congress, Case has introduced 20 bills and only one of them has become law. It renamed a post office. One of the main reasons Case has been so ineffective is that he's a relative newcomer to Congress and a member of the minority party. Members of the majority party which controls Congress for the foreseeable future don't listen to Case.

My voice will be heard in Congress because I'll be a member of the majority party and will be effective from the moment I take office. This reality is underscored by the fact that the most powerful person in Congress, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, has endorsed me and is urging the people of Hawaii to send me to Washington.

2. How has your campaigning changed from the primary to the general election?

Unfortunately, my opponent has revved up his negative campaign of character assassination since the Primary, so I'm having to spend more time fending off false allegations and misrepresentations, etc.

I've started some radio and television advertising, focusing on introducing myself to people and challenging my opponent on important issues. I believe it is my responsibility to challenge my opponent's record and position on issues and that we should not consider such campaigning to be negative.

If we don't discuss differences of our position on issues, then the people will never be able to choose which candidate to vote for. Unfortunately however, my opponent's reaction to my challenging him on the issues has been to engage in a vicious negative campaign of character assassination in order to distract voter's attention away from his record.

Case did the same thing to Matt Matsunaga in 2003 when the two were opponents in the race for Congress. Matsunaga accurately pointed out that Case "supported same-sex marriage and opposed putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot."

Case denied it and attacked Matsunaga, accusing him of engaging in "misleading" and "negative campaigning", intentionally giving people the impression that Matsunaga was not being honest.

But the fact is, Matsunaga was being honest. I don't agree with Matsunaga on every issue, but what Case did to him was wrong and unfair. Even to this day, some people still believe Matsunaga was being dishonest about Case's record.

The truth is, what Matsunaga said was accurate. Case does support same-sex marriage. And Case did oppose and twice voted against putting a Constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage on the ballot in 1998.

The unfortunate and disturbing reality is that Case attacks anyone who tells the truth about his record. All Matsunaga did was let people know the truth about Case's record on same-sex marriage. And immediately Case accused Matt of being dishonest and engaging in negative campaigning, trying to tear down Matt's character. Now Case is trying to do the same thing to me.

Nonetheless, I'm going to continue challenging my opponent on the issues and trying to defend myself against his campaign of character assassination.

I'm meeting as many people as possible and inviting people to come to my website MikeGabbard.com because there is no way I'll be able to afford television time to talk about all the issues and let people know about myself and my background.