HONOLULU -- KITV4 and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin will give viewers and readers the results of the first independent, scientific poll of Hawaii voters on the two key elections of this new campaign season.

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie is creating one of the races by stepping down to run for governor.

If an election was held now, KITV4's poll of 403 voters, with a 5 percent margin of error, shows former U.S. Rep. Ed Case would win at 37 percent of likely voters. That is a 12 percent lead over Senate President Colleen Hanabusa who garnered 25 percent and East Honolulu Councilman Charles Djou, the only Republican so far declared, with 17 percent.

However, with a fifth of the voters undecided, both of the contenders said it is far too early to count them out.

"As people get to know me better and get to know I am the only resident of this district who's actually running for this congressional district seat, as well as my views on fiscal responsibility, I am confident at the end of the day we'll have a winning campaign," Djou said.

"I think that we're in excellent position. I am very pleased with the results," Hanabusa said.

"We're very happy with the poll results. I think it indicates voters are looking for that combination of seniority and experience in Washington," Case said.

The poll was conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research Inc.