Former Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona said today that he would not run in the Republican primary in the 2nd Congressional District.

Aiona, who lost to Gov. Neil Abercrombie last year, had said previously that he had not ruled out any options for 2012. State GOP officials as recently as last week declined to discourage talk of a potential Aiona campaign for Congress. But other sources said privately that Aiona was not interested.

In a post on his website, Aiona, the executive vice president of development and recruitment at Saint Louis School, said he may consider another run for governor in 2014 but was not looking at Congress.

“I take seriously any pathway to public service. It is a decision that requires the full support of my family and those who would join our campaign. While much recent attention has been paid to issues at the national level, specially concerning out-of-control spending and the ever-increasing national debt, I have no desire to leave my home in Hawaii and relocate to Washington, D.C.,” he said.

“I will not run for Congress in 2012.”