By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

Months before the September primary, I e-mailed then-gubernatorial candidate Ed Case to ask for an hour or so of his time for a get-to-know-the-candidate interview.

He e-mailed back and chided me for addressing my letter to "Mr. Case." "That's so formal," he wrote. "Please call me Ed."

Now, we'll call him Congressman.

Case agreed to meet and picked the place and time: Like Like Drive Inn for a late breakfast. He showed up in one of the low-key Sig Zane aloha shirts that became his trademark during the campaign. No silky shirts for Ed. Just a simple cotton two-color ulu print shirt. Not a bus'-up T-shirt with pukas and stains, mind you. But a simple, straightforward shirt made by a designer beloved by locals in-the-know. He drove to the restaurant in his understated green compact with a big ding in the fender. He ordered fried rice and Portuguese sausage. He answered questions with answers, not dodges, not spins, not platitudes or slogans.

For all the good things Ed Case is, some of what's best about him is what he is not.

Ed Case is not slick. That is not to say that he's clumsy or raw or folksy, because he is certainly none of those things. He is polished, like well-crafted koa furniture rather than high-gloss acrylic. He's a practiced communicator and a good speaker, but much better one-on-one than in front of a crowd, and still a bit nervous on live television.

Ed Case is not a people-pleaser. That is not to say that he isn't agreeable or charming, but he doesn't change his opinions or his image to fit his audience. If he disagrees with you, he'll chose his words carefully, but he'll still disagree.

Ed Case is not easily rattled. When an opponent waged a last-minute negative campaign alleging that Case supported legalizing marijuana for recreational use, Case simply said that wasn't true, but he did not engage in a counter-attack. His reaction to his loss in the primary election was just about the same as his reaction to his wins in both special elections: He smiled, thanked his family and his supporters, and promised to keep fighting the good fight.

Case won this election the hard way, one vote at a time. Sure, there were television commercials and print ads and mailers, but Case stuck to the same plan he had during the gubernatorial campaign; he met people, sat with them, talked ideas, went to obon celebrations and coffee hours and community events and breakfasts of fried rice and Portuguese sausage.

Congressman Case should know that he's taking a bit of baggage to Washington. With him are the hopes of residents who have gotten tired of hoping for change.

Case will have to wear suits and ties and who knows what he'll have for breakfast, but hopefully he'll be able to keep his Sig Zane, fried rice, dinged-but-clean economy car sensibility.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.