Somehow the Hawaii political scene has reinvented itself with the same cast of characters.

It was just four years ago that Neil Abercrombie, Mufi Hannemann and James "Duke" Aiona were running for governor.

Now in 2014, the trio is running again for governor — but everything has changed.

First the issues are different. At this time four years ago, Gov. Linda Lingle had just vetoed House Bill 444, the civil unions bill.

The action made not only the candidates, but also the voters, choose sides. Voting for governor meant figuring who they would support in terms of their position for or against civil unions and, more importantly, same-sex marriage.

Hannemann and Aiona opposed it; Abercrombie supported it.

By the time of the general election, Aiona’s anti-gay marriage position had become a lightning rod that attracted the firestorm of criticism over his strong religious beliefs.

Today in Hawaii, men can marry men and women can marry women, and the republic has not fallen; gay marriage as a political issue has evaporated.

For Aiona that means his campaign for governor may have religious supporters, but it no longer has religion as a front-page issue.

Hawaii faces a three-way gubernatorial general election, with a Democrat against Republican Aiona and the former Mayor Hannemann now representing the Hawaii Independent Party. But what has changed is that Abercrombie first has to get through a primary battle with a relatively unknown Democratic senator who is growing stronger by the day, David Ige.

Ige’s chance of upsetting Abercrombie benefits from the uncertainty over the economy. As Ways and Means chairman, the Pearl City Democrat was able to reject Abercrombie’s calls to raise taxes and instead trimmed the state budget — and that gives him an argument as someone who is fiscally responsible.

Four years ago, Lingle was leaving office saying, "We have remained focused on being fiscally responsible, turning our economy around, getting our residents back to work and setting the foundation for a stronger future."

Economic recovery, however, is in the eye of the beholder. Abercrombie took office and described the same economic landscape as "economic wreckage."

"Since beginning my term in the depths of the recession and amid a severe budget crisis, my administration and I have worked tirelessly to build a stronger economy and brighter future for Hawaii," Abercrombie said as he launched his re-election campaign.

Before Abercrombie can declare an economic victory, though, he has to deal with a state budget that is again slipping. Last week he was forced to double the state discretionary spending freeze, going from 5 to 10 percent because of concerns about a softening economy.

The third thing that makes this year different is that Abercrombie brought much of it down upon himself with his chaotic and belligerent governing style.

Attacking seniors for not supporting his call to tax pensions, rigid support for the Public Land Development Corp. in the face of environmentalists’ opposition, a series of public squabbles and the musical-chairs style of constant Cabinet-level vacancies have made Abercrombie an unpopular governor.

The public reaction has been strong enough that Ige had an opening to forge a campaign.

Whether or not there is enough depth to the anti-Abercrombie vote to topple the incumbent is yet to be answered. But for Abercrombie, the primary fight today is just as tough as his battle with Hannemann in 2010.

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.