Nov. 6, 2012 U.S. Senate

Gov.
 Sen.3
 Sen.1
2022
 x x
2021


2020


2019


2018
 x
x
2017


2016
x
2015


2014
 x x
2013


2012


2011


2010
 x x
2009


2008


2007


2006


2005


2004


2003


2002


2001


2000


1999


1998


1997


1996


1995


1994


1993


1992


1991


1990


1989



+Mazie Hirono (D)
269,489
 		62.60%
Linda Lingle (R)
 		160,994
 		37.40%

430,483
Also 6,599 blank votes and 77 over votes.
Plurality: 108,495 votes (25.20 percentage points).
 State of Hawaii Office of Elections



Notes:  Sen. Daniel Akaka (D), 86, announced on Mar. 2, 2011 that he would retire after completing four terms.  U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono (D) held the seat for the Democrats, defeating former Gov. Linda Lingle (R).  Hirono and Lingle had run against each other a decade earlier; in 2002 they were the nominees for governor; Lingle prevailed in that race.  This time, the political tides favored Hirono as she won by 25 percentage points, while at the top of the ticket President Obama won 70 percent of the vote.

Hirono was elected to Congress in 2006 representing CD-2 after serving as lieutenant governor and in the Hawaii House of Representatives.  In the Aug. 11 Democratic primary, she defeated former U.S. Rep. Ed Case by 56.8% to 40.3%. 

Lingle finished two terms as governor in Dec. 2010.  Previously she served two terms as Mayor of Maui (1991-99) and five terms on the Maui County Council (1981-91).  In the Aug. 11 Republican primary, Lingle obtained 90.2% of the vote.

The two candidates engaged in five debates:

Sept. 6 - luncheon forum hosted by the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce (>).

Oct. 9 - sponsored by AARP-HI in KHON2 studios.

Oct. 16 - KITV (>).

Oct. 18 - PBS Hawaii.

Oct. 22 - co-sponsored by Hawaii News Now and the Honolulu Advertiser.

According to Open Secrets (>), spending by the two campaigns was roughly equal: $5.8 million by the Lingle campaign and $5.6 million by the Hirono campaign.  There was only modest spending by outside groups.


Campaign Managers:
Mazie Hirono:  Betsy Lin
(Nov. 2011)  Hirono's chief of staff in the U.S. House, Jan.-Nov. 2011.  Senior policy advisor to Sen. Byron Dorgan, Mar. 2009-Jan. 2011.  Deputy political director at the DSCC in the 2008 cycle.  Field director for Sen. Akaka's 2006 campaign.  Technology director for Washington State Democrats.  Born and raised in Washington State.

Linda Lingle:  Robert Lee
Hawai‘i’s Adjutant General and director of the State Department of Defense during the Lingle administration.
 



ADVERTISEMENT