Rep. Mazie Hirono has won the Democratic primary, beating former Representative Ed Case, and putting her in good position to be the first female senator from the state of Hawaii. Hirono, a three-term congresswoman from Hawaii, garnered 58 percent of the vote.

Hirono will now go on to face former Republican Linda Lingle, who beat her in a head-to-head match-up for governor in 2002. Pundits believe this will be a much different race, however, given this is a presidential election year and that Hawaii is Obama’s home state.

Hirono went straight into general election mode, calling the potential election of Lingle as not a vote for the values of Hawaii, but just another vote for the Republican party’s radical agenda. In a post primary message on facebook she stated:

I believe in our Hawaii values – of taking care of our kupuna by keeping Social Security and Medicare strong – these are not programs to manage, but commitments we must keep to our seniors; by creating opportunities for our keiki, our children; and most importantly, by getting our economy going again to get our people back to work by creating jobs.

These will be my goals when fighting for our Hawaii o’hana in the US Senate.

This is not the goal of the Republican party – that goal is to elect Linda Lingle, who brings them one step closer to the four votes they need to take over the US Senate.

Hirono’s congressional seat is likely to be won by Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, who was also victorious in her primary. Both women were endorsed by EMILY’s List, a political group dedicated to electing pro-choice women to office. EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock said via email statement:

“Last night’s primary victories show that voters in Hawai’i want strong, progressive leaders who will stand up for women and families. Mazie has worked tirelessly to expand opportunities for women in Hawai’i, Tulsi is a dynamic leader with a record of service to her country, and both women have incredible personal stories that resonated with voters. Mazie and Tulsi are extraordinary women, and the EMILY’s List community is thrilled to continue supporting their candidacies as they both move on to the general election in November.”