Hawaii’s outnumbered Republicans recruited candidates for almost every legislative race this year, but many of them struggled to raise money or receive votes in the state’s primary election.

For the general election campaign, Hawaii Republican Party Executive Director Dylan Nonaka says the party will emphasize about 15 key races instead of trying to make every race competitive like it did before the Sept. 18 primary.

Hawaii Republicans are attempting to make inroads into the state Legislature, the nation’s second-most politically lopsided, where the GOP controls only eight seats out of 76.

While Republicans are targeting a few races, Democrats hope to retain their overwhelming control of nearly 90 percent of the Legislature, second only to Rhode Island.