Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona's early jump on raising money for a 2010 run for governor is a smart, aggressive move that will give pause to other Republicans who might have ideas about running and allow him time to distinguish himself from the better-known Democrats he's likely to face.

Aiona's service as a state judge and lieutenant governor certainly give him the standing to run for governor, but his experience in the political trenches is light compared to his Democratic competition, and voters don't yet have a clear sense of who he is and what he stands for.

If the election were held today, he would likely be an underdog against any of the top Democrats mentioned as possible candidates for governor: U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, former Rep. Ed Case, state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa and Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann.

By starting early, Aiona can try to define himself to voters on his own terms before the Democrats start defining him in a less flattering light in the heat of the campaign.

If the lieutenant governor manages to build significant strength in the two years before the campaign hits full stride, running against him becomes less attractive and it could help thin the Democratic field.

All of the leading Democrats except Case would have to give up their current positions to run for governor, and they've been averse to such risks in the past — as seen last year when no top Democrats were willing chance losing the jobs they had to run against Republican Gov. Linda Lingle.

Aiona's biggest initial problem is that he lacks Lingle's broad appeal across party lines in this Democratic state, and trying to build those ties over the next three years will be as important as amassing a bankroll.

Her personal popularity notwithstanding, Lingle hasn't carried other Republicans to victory, and Aiona can't count on her support automatically transferring to him — especially if the Democratic nominee is Case or Hannemann, who also appeal to cross-party moderates and independents.

Lingle found success in downplaying Republicans vs. Democrats, instead casting the partisan divide in terms of the dangers of giving any one political organization total control with no checks and balances.

It would be an excellent model for Aiona to follow; he can get good mileage from skillfully evoking memories of the bad old days when Democrats ran everything, nothing seemed to work and public officials were regularly going to prison for corruption.

Lingle refers to her regime as the Lingle-Aiona administration and often includes the lieutenant governor in her public entourage.

But his largely ceremonial job is second-banana no matter how you dress it up, and Aiona's policy role — at least what the public sees — has been limited mostly to law enforcement and family issues, with little opportunity for visibility on broader concerns that are central to judging Aiona's ability to lead the state.

His strong religious beliefs will be a sensitive point with socially progressive voters, and he'll need to make them comfortable that he understands the separation between church and state.

Three years is a long time for Aiona to get voters used to thinking of him as gubernatorial material, especially if Lingle is willing to be generous in showcasing the lieutenant governor.

You'd think she would be, since leaving a Republican successor behind would go a long way toward shutting up the critics who say she has no coattails.

Democrats work from the assumption that Lingle was an aberration, and that things will go "back to normal" when she moves on. A strong early start by Aiona is his best chance of proving them wrong.

David Shapiro, a veteran Hawai'i journalist, can be reached by e-mail at dave@volcanicash.net. Read his daily blog at blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com.