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It is spring and there has been a sighting of Linda Lingle.
The 59-year-old, two-time Maui mayor and two-term Hawaii governor was the featured speaker at the state Republican Lincoln Day dinner this week.
Since losing a much-hyped run for the U.S. Senate in 2012, Lingle has been a doggedly private citizen. Her mere appearance at the event was a draw for Republicans wishing for fighting — or at least encouraging — words.
Last year’s failure to win that long-hoped-for Senate seat marked a devastating finality to GOP dreams of a rebirth in Hawaii.
Losing by more than 100,000 votes translated into Lingle winning just 37.4 percent of the vote. It wasn’t a surprise; public polls had never shown her getting more than 40 percent of the vote.
With numbers like that, Lingle could serve neither fire nor brimstone; there would be little chest-pounding with Hawaii’s GOP still on life support.
Instead, Lingle told the party faithful to deliver on Hawaii’s desire for a two-party system.
"What I can’t live with, what you shouldn’t be willing to live with, is throwing in the towel on our goal of a strong two-party system of government for Hawaii.
"This is not the time to give up, because our cause is the right cause, and because what we are striving for is in the best interest of all the people of Hawaii," Lingle said, according to reports filed by Star-Advertiser reporter Derrick DePledge.
There have been calls for air-conditioned public schools; people want someone in government to pave the public highways; we would all be thrilled if the governor or a county mayor announced that a new company was locating here and bringing new jobs — but a two-party system?
How many sign off their nightly prayers with a plea for a two-party system?
The seven GOP members of the state House offered a scrap of relevancy earlier this year when they helped form a coalition with Democrats to organize the state House. How that will play out is anyone’s guess.
It could help them in general elections, but it could make the seven sitting ducks in the 2014 GOP primary that draws only bedrock Republicans.
The local Republican Party would be wise to appreciate how far both in miles and in political relevancy it is from the national GOP and start swimming in Hawaii’s mainstream.
Face it — national GOP Chairman Reince Priebus does not care what the Hawaii GOP thinks or does as long as it sends its dues in on time.
Today two things hold down the Hawaii GOP: the national brand and President Barack Obama.
Republicans in Hawaii will have a tough time as long as our Barry is president. He is our favorite son and will control the local high ground for the rest of his presidency.
This doesn’t mean that local Republicans need to leave. They can be to the right of Obama, but not moving in lockstep with the tea party.
A Hawaii GOP that said it was horrified with Rush Limbaugh’s utterances, a local GOP that could see the benefit in collective bargaining and a GOP that acknowledged gay members of society and its party would all be first steps.
A Hawaii GOP that offers both mainstream reality and political opportunity should be the party that Lingle boosts. Then turning Hawaii into a two-party state would take care of itself.
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Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.
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