NEARLY 1,000 GATHER TO SUPPORT HAWAII REPUBLICANS AT BIGGEST ANNUAL LINCOLN DAY DINNER TO DATE

News Release Hawaii Republican Party www.GOPHawaii.com

HONOLULU—Nearly 1,000 gathered at Honolulu’s Hilton Hawaiian Village today for the Hawai'i Republican Party’s Annual Lincoln Day Dinner, in honor of the nation’s first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln.  The event took place on Friday, February 26, 2010 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Coral Ballroom. 

Lincoln Day Dinners are an annual event for Republicans in America and Hawai'i traditionally hosts the largest Lincoln Day Dinner in the nation.  This year, attendees heard from Charles Djou, Candidate for Congress, Lt. Governor Duke Aiona and Governor Linda Lingle.  The keynote speaker, Karl Rove, former Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush, was the biggest guest speaker to date for HRP’s Lincoln Day Dinner. 

Party leadership is enthusiastic about the record turnout and excitement circling the event this year.  “Our attendees are diverse and include a cross section of the community not just Republicans,” said Justin Menolascino, Executive Director, Hawai'i Republican Party. 

Karl Rove served as Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush from 2000–2007 and Deputy Chief of Staff from 2004–2007. At the White House he oversaw the Offices of Strategic Initiatives, Political Affairs, Public Liaison, and Intergovernmental Affairs and was Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, coordinating the White House policy-making process.

Before Karl became known as “The Architect” of President Bush’s 2000 and 2004 campaigns, he was president of Karl Rove + Company, an Austin-based public affairs firm that worked for Republican candidates, non-partisan causes, and non-profit groups. His clients included over 75 Republican U.S. Senate, Congressional, and gubernatorial candidates in 24 states, as well as the Moderate Party of Sweden.

Karl is a contributor for Fox News and writes a weekly op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, is a Newsweek columnist, and is the author of the forthcoming book “Courage and Consequence” (Threshold Editions).

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