Big Island state Sen. Paul Whalen said yesterday he is thinking about giving up his Senate seat to take an appointment from the Lingle administration as director of the state Office of Planning.

Whalen, R-3rd (Kohala, Kona, Ka'u), said he has spoken with Gov. Linda Lingle about the job and is talking it over with his wife and colleagues. A spokesman for Lingle said the governor had asked Whalen if he wanted to be considered for the post but had not heard back from the senator.

Whalen, an attorney, said he has had an interest in land-use issues and described the job of state planner as a tantalizing prospect. "I thought it might be another way for me to serve the people of Hawai'i," he said.

Whalen was elected in 2002 for a two-year term after reapportionment and re-elected in 2004. Whalen has said he planned to run for re-election next year, but Republicans are worried whether he could withstand a potentially difficult challenge from state Rep. Josh Green, D-6th (N. Kona, Keauhou, Kailua, Kona).

Green, an emergency-room doctor, announced his Senate campaign in May and has been aggressively raising money and doing outreach in the district. Green had more than $65,700 in cash on hand for his campaign through June and said he has since raised another $25,000. Whalen had about $10,200 in cash through June.

Whalen has spoken with other senators about whether he would be confirmed as state planner, which is how word of his job talks surfaced at the state Capitol. The Legislature voted last session to make the state planner post subject to confirmation.

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com.