 |
| US Rep. Mazie Hirono |
The race for US Senate in Hawaii is now in full gear, as both parties select their nominees. This race is going to be a costly and heated battle to be the next senator from Hawaii.
U.S.
Rep. Mazie Hirono has won the Democratic primary in Hawaii for an open U.S.
Senate seat, setting up a race in November against former Hawaii Gov. Linda
Lingle.
Hirono
bested former U.S. Rep. Ed Case on Saturday night to set up a rematch of sorts
against Lingle. Lingle beat Hirono 10 years ago to become Hawaii's chief
executive, then went on to serve eight years.
Hirono
had nearly 58 percent of the vote with 70 percent of precincts reporting.
Lingle is in for
the Republicans
Lingle
won her GOP primary contest easily, defeating state lawmaker John Carroll with
90 percent to 6 in early returns.
 |
| US Rep. Lingle |
Hirono
and Lingle will compete for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Daniel
Akaka (D-Hawaii). Their fight is a rematch of their 2002 gubernatorial contest
where Hirono lost to Lingle, who went on to be the first two-term GOP governor
of the state in 40 years.
Hirono
was also boosted with an endorsement from an unlikely corner: GOP Rep. Don
Young (Alaska) backed her in a video last month.
The
November matchup for Senate is expected to be a tough fight for Lingle. A poll
from the Honolulu Star Advertiser last month showed Hirono with 58 percent
support from likely voters to Lingle’s 39. A Honolulu Civil Beat/MRG poll put
Hirono up, but by a smaller margin of 5 points.
