Former Hawaii governor Linda Lingle is expected to announce a 2012 run for the U.S. Senate today. A Republican who served two terms in Honolulu, Lingle would be running to replace retiring Democrat Daniel Akaka, who is not seeking reelection.

Representative Maize Hirono and former representative Ed Case are vying for the Democratic nomination to succeed Akaka. If she won, Lingle would be the second Republican to serve Hawaii in the Senate after Hiram Fong, who was first elected in 1959.