Will they still like us in the morning?

Let’s face it: Hawaii is getting spoiled with all this political attention. Remember when the pundits hardly cared how the 50th State votes, practically until after election night?

Not so this time. Former Gov. Linda Lingle got all kinds of media buzz, positive and negative, over the presence of Republican Sen. Roy Blunt at her fundraiser in the midst of all the hubbub over Blunt’s health care amendment.

And the national news crews have even highlighted the existence of Hawaii’s first-ever GOP caucus tomorrow, along with those in Guam and the Virgin Islands. That tells you what a delegate-scramble this primary has become, when even our little crop of 20 counts.

It’s going to seem awfully quiet around here when this election’s finally over and the big-wigs look away again. Don’t forget to leave the place clean when you go, people.

D.R. Horton builds houses, will travel

D.R. Horton’s Schuler Hawaii division seems to be standing at the epicenter of Oahu’s current development tremors. Not only are they the big players in Kapolei, where the Ho‘opili project has generated its share of controversy, but they’ve popped up across the mountain in Kailua.

Well, perhaps "popped up" is the wrong term. The upscale Ironwoods condo complex, now renamed Ka Malanai, was the subject of some debate here, but that quieted down in the four years that the project has been on hold.

Meanwhile, the renters in the low-income apartments on the Kailua Road site, who had to vacate before the recession stalled Ironwoods, have driven by the long, empty parcel countless times.

There may be more affordable housing available if Ho‘opili’s ever finished, but could the renters afford it? Only time will tell.