Former "Star Trek" actor George Takei is helping Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) prosper in Hawaii's U.S. Senate race by donating $500 to her campaign in the most recent fundraising period.
The Honolulu Civil Beat first reported on Takei's donation. Hirono also received support from Microsoft founder Bill Gates, actress and singer Barbra Streisand and a Washington, D.C.-based consultant named Linda A. Lingle.
Coincidentally, Hirono's GOP competitor for the open Senate seat is former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle (not the same person). Lingle received donations from former Sens. John Danforth (R-Mo.) and Phil Gramm (R-Texas), as well as several members of the Marriott family.
Lingle also received $1,000 from conservative businessman Foster Friess, who bankrolled the pro-Rick Santorum super PAC. In February, he faced criticism for suggesting that women should just put a "Bayer Aspirin" between their knees as a form of contraception.
Hirono is competing against Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) in a primary for the Democratic Senate nomination, although she has a significant lead over him in the polls.
Lingle raised $1.3 million in the last fundraising quarter, while Hirono raised just over $1 million.
If either Lingle or Hirono win the Senate seat, Hawaii will have its first female U.S. senator.
Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu on "Star Trek," is Japanese-American and has a history of supporting Asian-American politicians and other West Coast Democrats. In the past, he has donated to Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), among others.
This story has been updated.