Elwin Ahu, a senior pastor at New Hope Metro, announced on Thursday that he would run in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor.

“For several years our Constitution has been challenged, not in the judicial courts of law, but in the people’s courts of public opinion,” Ahu said in a statement. “Our government leaders are no longer grateful, it seems, for Divine Guidance, nor are they mindful of our Hawaiian heritage, consequently we’ve lost our uniqueness as an island state. Many I have talked to voiced the same concerns: `That the righteous philosophy of our state motto has not been protected, nor has it been preserved.'”

Ahu, a former state judge, is friend of former Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona, the likely Republican candidate for governor.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie and state Sen. David Ige are contending for the Democratic primary for governor. Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui is running in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.

Ahu and his wife Joy have two sons.