Former Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona intends to run for governor.

The Republican, who lost by a 17-point margin to Gov. Neil Abercrombie in 2010, has informed the Hawaii Republican Party of his plans and discussed a potential campaign Friday on The Fish, a Christian radio station.

Aiona, 58, told the Hono­lulu Star-Advertiser that he would not formally announce until he has formed a campaign organization and a fundraising operation.

"I think I’ve got a better perspective right now — knowing what we went through for eight years and then seeing what this administration has done in the last three years. I know for a fact that I am qualified and I have the skills and the ability to be the next governor of the state of Hawaii," he said.

Aiona, who served two four-year terms as lieutenant governor under Gov. Linda Lingle, has said since his defeat four years ago that his only political aspiration is Washington Place. He was the featured speaker at the state GOP convention last May and is widely considered the party’s only real option for chief executive this year.

But Aiona has not been raising the kind of money necessary for a credible statewide campaign. Many Republicans also believe that Aiona, a Catho­lic who opposes gay marriage, missed a political opportunity by not getting publicly involved in the fight against gay marriage during the special session last fall.

Abercrombie’s low job approval ratings, however, have led some Republicans and Demo­crats to conclude that the governor is unpopular enough that he might be vulnerable to a creative, low-budget campaign. Abercrombie had raised $3.3 million for his re-election through last June.

State Sen. David Ige (D, Pearl Harbor-Pearl City-Aiea), chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, who is running against Abercrombie in the Demo­cratic primary, has not raised a significant amount of money and has yet to publicly challenge the governor on policy.

"I think that in the end he can overcome what would be a disadvantage when it comes to money," David Chang, state GOP chairman, said of Aiona.

Chang and other Republicans have been hearing for the past several weeks that former Hono­lulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann might switch political parties and run for governor as a Republican.

Political insiders have also mentioned Hannemann as a potential candidate in the Demo­cratic primary for urban Hono­lulu’s 1st Congressional District, which is being vacated by U.S. Rep. Colleen Hana­busa, who is challenging U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz in the Demo­cratic primary for U.S. Senate.

Hannemann lost badly in the Demo­cratic primary for governor to Abercrombie in 2010 and in a Demo­cratic primary for Congress to U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard in 2012. Those losses fuel the perception that the political career of the moderate-to- conservative-leaning Hannemann is over in the Demo­cratic Party.

Hannemann, when asked by the Star-Advertiser whether he was in discussions about running for governor as a Republican, did not rule the option out.

"Many people talk to me every day — Republicans, Independents and Demo­crats — expressing to me that our government should be doing better, especially at the top," he said in an email Thursday. "I am indeed in discussions with a lot of people, seeking their input and searching my heart on how and where to best serve our community and expect to make a decision at the right time."

Chang said he would welcome Hannemann into the GOP in the spirit of party-building. Most of the political defections over the past several years have been Republicans who have joined the dominant Demo­cratic Party.

"E komo mai," said Chang, a potential candidate for lieutenant governor. "I want as many people to join our party as possible."