Hawaii Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono won handily in her primary election on Saturday, increasing Democrats’ chances of victory in November’s election.
She was up against Clyde Lewman, a wood products salesman, and Ron Curtis, a retired engineer.
Curtis ran against Hirono as the Republican Senate candidate in 2018, but lost to the incumbent Democratic candidate by about 29% to 71%.
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Senator Mazie Hirono won the primary and was elected to a third term. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
He also challenged Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) for Congress in 2020, but lost by a similar margin.
Hirono, a progressive, is seeking a third six-year term representing the left-leaning island nation.
The Japanese-born U.S. senator is the favorite to win Hawaii’s general election later this year, but her victory would be welcomed by Democrats as they face an uphill battle to maintain their slim Senate majority.
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Hawaii is a majority Democratic state. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA Tour via Getty Images)
His 2024 campaign has raised more than $3 million from individual contributions, according to campaign finance data. There were no fundraising records for his opponents on the Federal Election Commission website.
Prior to being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Hirono served as Hawaii’s Lieutenant Governor and served three terms in the House of Representatives before running for the Senate in 2012.
Hawaii’s congressional delegation consists of two senators and two representatives, all Democrats.
Four states hold key primary elections on Tuesday, setting the stage for November’s Senate and House showdowns.
Her victory in November would be a much-welcome bolster for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as he tries to keep Congress in Democratic control. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
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Democrats also control the state’s governor’s office and both houses of the state Legislature.
Democrats are likely to boost their vote totals in Senate districts where they are at risk of losing other key races, including in ruby-red West Virginia, and are banking on Hirono’s victory in November.
