New research from Public Policy Polling challenges a claim that U.S. Senate candidate Ed Case made about his Democratic primary opponent Mazie Hirono.

The Case campaign said that an August poll showed that he would defeat Republican candidate Linda Lingle in the general election, whereas Hirono would lose. 

But in a poll of 568 Hawaii residents that was conducted in the days after Lingle announced her intentions to run last week, Public Policy Polling found that Hirono fares better than Case against Lingle.

“Hirono bests Lingle by six points, 48-42, but Case actually trails by two, 43-45,” the pollster wrote.

Hirono leads Case with 45 percent to Case’s 40 percent. Liberal voters give Hirono the edge, but Case leads “with every other ideological group.” 

Public Policy Polling found that Case is “liked by voters better overall” than Hirono, but that Lingle is “far more popular” than Case with independents and the Republican party.

“This race has become far more competitive since PPP last polled it in March,” said Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling, in a statement. “Linda Lingle’s candidacy does give Republicans a chance for a pick up that would be devastating to Democratic hopes of holding onto the Senate.”

Check out the complete poll results, and learn more about the group that produced them.