Charles Djou of Hawaii, who is running against Democratic state Rep. Mark Takai in the race for the 1st Congressional District, has been named a “Young Gun” by an important GOP group.

The National Republican Congressional Committee‘s program is a designation for Republican candidates that “have met a series of rigorous goals that will put them in position to win on Election Day,” says NRCC Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.).

That’s according to this article in The Hill today.

Charles Djou

Courtesy

“The new additions include a mix of GOP candidates contesting competitive seats and nominees expected to easily win their races to succeed retiring Republicans in safe seats this fall,” says the report.

The NRCC’s website says, “Originally founded in the 2007-2008 election cycle by Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), the Young Guns program supports and mentors challenger and open-seat candidates in races across the country.”

Walden explains in a NRCC press release, “These candidates will fight to stop the harmful consequences of ObamaCare, grow the economy, and get Washington’s spending under control.”

Djou, a former state legislator and Honolulu City Councilman, won a special election to the CD1 seat in 2010 to replace Neil Abercrombie, who ran for governor that year and won.

Colleen Hanabusa won the seat outright later that year. She ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate this year, opening her seat.