By David Shapiro

The state party conventions traditionally mark the official start of Hawai'i's political campaign season. Let it be known that in this year's race for governor, Linda Lingle sprinted from the blocks at a rousing Republican convention over the weekend while her Democratic rivals are still looking for the starting line.

The Republican convention provided a telling snapshot of how much Lingle and her party have grown in both numbers and political professionalism since her narrow loss to Gov. Ben Cayetano in 1998. She's campaigning with vision, confidence and a bank account that could grow to $5 million as Republicans here and on the Mainland flock to her campaign.

Lingle pushed all the right buttons in a stirring convention speech, promising schools that give parents more choices and local control, an expanded economic pie that halts our endless battles over the crumbs, and a state government that stops playing favorites and honestly accounts for its spending.

Lingle pledged not only to become Hawai'i's first Republican governor in 40 years, but also to deliver a Republican majority in the state House of Representatives.

While Republicans enjoyed their Waikiki love fest, Democratic chaos was on full display as O'ahu Democrats met to grill gubernatorial candidates D.G. "Andy" Anderson and state Rep. Ed Case on whether they're really Democrats.

Anderson is a two-time Republican candidate for governor who switched parties this year. Case promotes himself as the candidate for voters who want the fiscal change advocated by Republicans, but would rather get it from a Democrat.

Mayor Jeremy Harris, the supposed Democratic front-runner, was in China — a good measure of how far out of this race he fell as he held his campaign in limbo while dealing with a resign-to-run challenge and a criminal investigation of his campaign fund-raising. As Harris remains eerily silent, criticism of his management of city finances is reaching critical mass.

Luckily for the Democrats, this race is more a marathon than a sprint, and they have a long history of pulling together to win difficult elections. But if their situation doesn't clarify before they limp into their own state convention at the end of May, it might be time for them to officially start worrying.

Lingle takes nothing for granted. She reminded Republican delegates that they're still a minority in this Democratic state, and pleaded with them to avoid antagonizing Democratic and independent voters with acrimonious debate on conservative social issues.

She got her way when delegates removed any mention of abortion from the party's platform to dodge an ugly fight between pro-life and pro-choice forces. But the issues are still there, and Republicans can't hide from them forever.

Lingle draws attention to the matter herself when she calls George W. Bush "the greatest president ever" — an overstatement that makes even some Republicans cringe.

Aside from the popular war against terrorism that was forced on him, Bush has made his mark by taking arch-conservative positions on social issues from abortion to stem-cell research to assisted suicide. He has pushed religion into public life in unprecedented ways that conflict with Hawai'i's prevailing liberal social attitudes.

By her unqualified praise, is Lingle throwing in with the conservative social agenda that defines the Bush administration? Will she be looking for a local John Ashcroft to serve as her attorney general?

These are fair questions that she can be sure Democrats will ask loudly as they try to scare their own strays back into the fold. She'll need good answers when the time comes.

David Shapiro can be reached by e-mail at dave@volcanicash.net.