Former Republican state senator John Carroll yesterday said he will challenge Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona in next year's GOP primary for governor.

In 2002 Carroll, a longtime Honolulu lawyer, lost in the 2002 Republican gubernatorial primary.

Carroll faces an uphill battle against Aiona, who has been endorsed by Gov. Linda Lingle and is being assisted by the state Republican Party.

Lingle defeated Carroll in the 2002 primary by a 9-to-1 margin.

But the 79-year-old Carroll says he can make headway against Aiona by, for example, emphasizing his opposition to pending legislation in Congress to establish a Native Hawaiian government.

Carroll announced the launching of an exploratory campaign committee at a private gathering yesterday.