Laura Thielen, a newcomer to the Democratic Party, defeated state Sen. Pohai Ryan in the Democratic primary for the state Senate’s 25th District, which covers Hawaii Kai, Waimanalo and Kailua.
Thielen now faces longtime former Republican legislator Fred Hemmings, who held the seat for 10 years before he decided to not run for re-election in 2010.
In another high-profile race that pitted two veteran Democratic senators against each other because of redistricting, Brian Taniguchi defeated Carol Fukunaga in the 11th District (Makiki-Tantalus-Manoa).
All 25 Senate seats are up for election this year. Five Democratic senators faced no opposition and were re-elected in the primary.
Ten other Democratic senators and the Senate’s lone Republican, Sam Slom, faced no opposition and automatically advance to the Nov. 6 general election.
Three other senators who prevailed in their Democratic primaries will retain their seats because they have no general election challenger.
Thielen, 51, former Republican Gov. Linda Lingle’s director of Land and Natural Resources and daughter of Republican state Rep. Cynthia Thielen, received media coverage earlier this year when she was caught in an internal Democratic Party dispute.
The party determined she was ineligible to run for the Democratic nomination because she was not a member in good standing for six months, but did not file a legal challenge to block her.
Thielen said she thinks the controversy helped her candidacy.
"It seems like people are looking for strong, independent candidates who are willing to stand up for the community against more powerful interests," she said.
Ryan, 50, was elected in 2010.
Hemmings, 66, was unopposed in the Republican primary.
Fukunaga and Taniguchi were placed together in the reconfigured 11th District.
Fukunaga, 64, served 10 years in the state House before spending 20 years in the Senate. She represented the old district of Lower Makiki and Punchbowl.
Taniguchi, 60, served 14 years in the House and 18 years in the Senate. He represented the Moiliili and Manoa district.
Taniguchi said he and Fukunaga worked together in the Senate and agree on many issues.
"The race with Carol was a tough one," he said.
He said his message to the voters was that he helped bring improvements to the area, such as to the Manoa Library this year and the Manoa gym about 10 years ago.
"She doesn’t have that kind of track record," he said.
Two Democratic Hawaii island senators who were appointed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie to replace departing senatorsfaced opposition.
State Sen. Malama Solomon, 61, was appointed in 2010 to replace Dwight Takamine, who became director of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
Solomon held a slim lead in the 4th District (Kaupulehu-Waimea-North Hilo) over Lorraine Inouye, 72, a former Hawaii County mayor who also served 10 years in the state Senate before making an unsuccessful run for mayor in 2008.
State Sen. Gilbert Kahele was appointed by the governor in January 2011 to replace Russell Kokubun, who was named director of the Department of Agriculture.
In his first bid for elective office, Kahele defeated Donald Ikeda, Hawaii County Council member, in the 1st District (Hilo).
Also on Hawaii island, Russell Ruderman, owner of Island Natural Markets, beat state Rep. Bob Herkes and two other candidates to win the Democratic primary for the Senate 2nd District (Puna).
Democratic Sen. Michelle Kidani, 63, held off former state Rep. Michael Magaoay in the 18th District (Mililani-Waikele-Kunia).
Clarence Nishihara, 69, in the 17th District (Waipahu-Pearl City), and Sen. Will Espero, 51, in the 19th District (Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point). Nishihara, Espero and Kahele face no general election opponent and will retain their Senate seats.
On Maui, Sen. J. Kalani English, 45, defeated Barbara Haliniak in Democratic primary in the 7th District (Molokai-Lanai-Upcountry-Hana).
