HONOLULU (AP) - A new poll says U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono leads former Gov. Linda Lingle by a wide margin in the race to be Hawaii's next senator.
The Hawaii News Now/ Honolulu Star-Advertiser poll shows 57 percent of respondents would vote for Hirono in the general election while 35 percent would vote for Lingle.
The poll had a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.
Honolulu market research company Ward Research surveyed 768 likely voters statewide from Oct. 15 through 22 for the poll.
Hirono's 22-point lead is similar to the 19-point margin she had in another Ward Research poll in July.
Lingle's campaign criticized the poll's methodology, saying Ward Research surveys a disproportionate number of Democrats.
Her campaign manager says the campaign's own polls show a statistical dead heat.
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