Call it a mini-version of the Bob Hogue vs. Mazie Hirono 2nd Congressional District race.

Republican Keoki Leong, a former Hogue aide, is squaring off against Jill Tokuda, one-time staffer to Hirono, for the 24th Senate District (Kane'ohe, Kailua) seat that Hogue vacated.

There are other parallels between Tokuda and Leong, both lifelong Kane'ohe residents. Tokuda was once interim executive director of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i while Leong served for a time as executive director for the Hawai'i Republican Party.

The 24th District race is one of only two Senate contests on Nov. 7 not to feature an incumbent. The Senate is also fractured into different factions vying for control. Those two facts make the race one of the more closely watched battles in the general election.

And with Leong only 26 and Tokuda just 30, the winner will also become the youngest member of the 25-person state Senate and be in position to become a force at the Capitol for years to come.

The 24th District includes the core of Kane'ohe and Kailua, the two main urban areas on O'ahu's Windward side.

In the 2000 U.S. Census, 54 percent of those living in the district classified themselves as white or part-white, making it one of the most Caucasian-heavy Senate districts in the state. Statewide, 39.3 percent described themselves as white or part-white.

The district is among the more affluent on O'ahu. The median household income in the 2000 Census was $65,604, higher than the $52,280 household median income for O'ahu.

The younger age of the two candidates also reflects the district. The median age in 2000 was 33, compared with the statewide median of 36.

Katherine Bryant-Hunter, a member of the Kailua Neighborhood Board for eight years, including the past four as chairwoman, said environmental concerns and education are two of the top issues for the district.

Assuring Kawai Nui Marsh is transferred from the city to the state in an orderly manner is important, she said.

Continuing to make sure that schools in the Windward District get their fair share of capital improvement dollars is also on the top of people's minds, Bryant-Hunter said.

Windward voters should vote for a candidate who is willing to get involved in the community, including being attentive to the neighborhood boards, she said. "It's easy to tell the candidates that listen and the candidates that don't," she said.

Both candidates agree with Bryant-Hunter that education is a top issue.

Leong pointed out that buildings at several Windward public schools have been a source of concern for families. "Parents over there, and teachers, too, need to know they're safe and their children are safe while they attend schools," he said.

Leong said he will work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure the funding continues to move into the district.

Tokuda said she wants to provide "alternative educational opportunities" for students by partnering with labor unions and trade organizations to set up apprenticeship programs.

Tokuda said she wants assurances that teachers get the basic tools they need in the classrooms, from clerical support to textbooks.

Another key issue in the district for Tokuda is affordable housing and the cost of living.

Tokuda said she wants to work with the state housing agency to create more affordable rentals and other dwelling options for Windward residents.

She also said she will work with city officials in addressing the impact of rising real property taxes on seniors who are on fixed incomes. "I had a conversation with an elderly lady who told me she actually withheld filling her prescription drugs for a month because she was afraid she couldn't pay her real property taxes," Tokuda said.

Leong said battling crime is another key issue for him. "There's no hidden secret that drugs continue to plague our community here on the Windward side," he said.

He supports creation of a youth center in Kane'ohe where students can be mentored and be offered healthy activities after school.

Leong said that as a researcher at the Legislature, he was able to provide input on legislation that gave more tools to law enforcement in their fight against crime, such as the "three strikes" law for drug offenders.

Tokuda ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Leong bested attorney Tom Pico Jr. by a more than 2-to-1 ratio on the GOP side.

Leong ran for the 49th House District seat in Kane'ohe two years ago but lost to Democratic incumbent Ken Ito by 1,200 votes. Tokuda is a first-time candidate.

Hogue had held the 24th Senate District seat since 2000.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.