HAWAII MIRACLE? – AT 10:08 A.M. ET:  There was a US Senate primary in Hawaii yesterday.  On the Republican side, the wonderful Republican former governor, Linda Lingle, was the easy winner.   The Dems selected Representative Mazie Hirono.

Hawaii is among the bluest of the blue states.  Democrats normally win.  But Lingle was elected governor twice as a Republican and remains highly popular.  She is behind Hirono in the polls, and the odds are against her, as they would be against any Republican.  But she has a shot and is well financed. 

And the two have met in combat before.  In 2002, Hirono was the Democratic candidate for governor, Lingle the Republican candidate.  Despite the odds also being against her then, Lingle won, then went on to win a second term in a landslide.

This would be a great pickup for the Republicans, and launch a new and deserving Republican star.  Watch Hawaii carefully.  Linda Lingle may be one of the great political stories of the year.

August 12, 2012