Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona filed papers yesterday with the state Office of Elections to seek re-election.

Lingle became the first Republican governor in the Islands in 40 years when she was elected in 2002. She is running for a second four-year term.

Aiona is running for a second term as lieutenant governor.

"We will continue to focus on maintaining our economic momentum," Lingle said in a statement.

"A vibrant and strong eco-nomy is the foundation of our state's ability to meet the challenges and capitalize on opportunities in the coming years. A strong economy provides the resources we need to renovate our schools, upgrade our infrastructure, purchase lands for conservation, fund drug prevention and treatment programs, develop affordable housing and invest in our workforce development.

"We will continue to focus on school reform, including the creation of local school boards and mandating that 90 percent of funds reach the classroom," she said.

The Lingle administration also announced yesterday that Lenny Klompus, the governor's senior adviser for communications, will be taking an unpaid leave of absence to focus on Lingle's re-election campaign.