George Takei, 'Star Trek' Actor, Donates In Hawaii Senate Race

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.

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Comments

[rjciraulo]

08:06 AM on 05/08/2012

Slow news day??

[Mary Sue Mc Cormick]

05:36 PM on 05/07/2012

Live long and prosper, George!

[Politidelic]

01:48 PM on 05/07/2012

Foster Friess....isn't that kind of like Dairy Queen?

[onionboy]

03:06 PM on 05/07/2012

Or closeted queen? I don't know.

[oafishcad]

01:36 PM on 05/07/2012

Star Trek future- Liberal Democrats
Hunger Games future-Conservative Republicans.

[enigma2]

02:18 PM on 05/07/2012

Well stated..

[kc5rty]

07:54 PM on 05/07/2012

But Incorrect.. It was the liberal decadence of Rome that gave us the bread and circus's of the gladiatorial games. The more Rome taxed its citizens, the more they needed to placate them with the games. I don't deny there are greedy people on Wall street but but conservatism does not equal the dystopian future you say it will. I'm a conservative and i'm working a second job to help some friends, who are handicapped, pay their bills. One is a conservative and the other a liberal. the funny thing is that the liberal friend, has a bunch of liberal friends and not one of them raises a finger to help her, but will try to borrow money from her at the drop of a hat. In all my adult years on this earth, I have seen administrations in DC come and go, and it has always been the Progressives in the democrat party pushing for bigger giveaways and bigger taxes to pay for them. As the saying goes, Socialism is great, till you run out of everybody else's money.

[fozzi58]

01:23 PM on 05/07/2012

Lmao.

The irony is how much the GOP are like the Borg.

"You're financial earning ability and educating your children is irrelevant. You will be rich one day. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

[French Toast]

01:10 PM on 05/07/2012

Good. Defeat that blue dog Ed Case.

[chefmike]

02:49 PM on 05/07/2012

I believe he favors pot legalization.

[AFRescue143]

01:10 PM on 05/07/2012

Good Luck....your mission is complex.The Borg have already assimilated the GOP and so your work is cut out for you.

Live long and Prosper....................IN PEACE.

[Demidan]

12:26 PM on 05/07/2012

Go Sulu Go!

[Bluelynx]

12:08 PM on 05/07/2012

George, you always did rock! Now lock onto the GOP. Release photon torpedo!