It is difficult to pinpoint why Mazie Hirono was so successful as a candidate. Many aspects of her personality and her stance on prominent issues make her and appealing choice for the Senate. It is my hypothesis that a combination of several smaller factors created the correct political climate that enabled Mazie Hirono to win her seat in the Senate.
I believe that Hawaii being the home state of current President Barrack Obama was a powerful and positive influence that supported Mazie Hirono's campaign (Barack Obama Biography). The President's ties back to his home state motivated voters and aroused waves of Democratic sentiments; the waves that Hirono rode to victory. Like the President, Hirono is an advocate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and places a high priority on issues of education (Mazie Hirono on the Issues). Their agreement on issues such as these allows Hawaiians to channel their enthusiasm for Barrack Obama into his Hawaiian Senatorial candidate counterpart.
Another important link Mazie Hirono shares with President Obama is that both she and he are visible minorities. This visible connection between Hirono and Obama can only strengthen their inherent association, and by extension aid the propagation of her campaign to Democrats already supporting Obama. These supporters recognized the similarities, and likely lent their support to Hirono on the day of the election. Although, this association may have influenced Democrats or those leaning Democrat to cast their ballot for Hirono, it is doubtful the presidential correlation had a positive voting influence on more right-wing Hawaiians.
I do not think the influence of Mazie Hirono's ethnic origin ends with just a coincidental presidential correlation. The interplay of Mazie Hirono's ethnic origins and the demographic of Hawaii also came into play when determining the outcome of this election. Hawaii's population is comprised of 38% asian citizens, a sleeping giant akin to latino populations in other states (Enloe and Seager 108)(US Census Bureau). These Asians-Americans are the majority ethnic group in Hawaii, which gives them much power in determining the which political agents they are going to elect to represent them. No one was better suited for representing the interests Asian-American Hawaiians than Mazie Hirono, who bore the potential of being the first Asian-American Senator.
Due to this ethnic bias, I believe Mazie Hirono was able to clinch the votes of those who were more focused on candidate characteristics than their political platforms. This ethnic trend of voting is correlated ideas of candidate centered voting, and in the case of Hawaii's visible majority it is a short-term strategy that holds the power to decide the outcome of an election (Berry et. al 226). These ethnic similarities coupled with Hirono's presidential correlation were key components in securing her victory against Lingle.
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<http://www.politico.com/2012-election/map/>.
"Barack Obama Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 9 Nov. 2012. Web.
<http://www.biography.com/people/barack-obama-12782369>.
Berry, Jeffrey, Kenneth M. Janda, Jerry Goldman, and Kevin W. Hula. The Challenge of Democracy.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004. Print.
Enloe, Cynthia H., and Joni Seager. The Real State of America Atlas: Mapping the Myths and Truths
of the United States. New York, NY: Penguin, 2011. Print.
"Hawaii US Census Bureau." USA Census Bureau. N.p., 18 Sept. 2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2012.
<http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html>.
"Mazie Hirono on the Issues." On the Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.ontheissues.org/house/Mazie_Hirono.htm>.
