Looks like U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, is taking a populist path in his likely campaign against Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann in the Democratic primary for governor next year.

Abercrombie trails in fundraising and has had to deal with speculation that U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, the state’s top Democrat, favors the mayor. The congressman’s campaign pushed back a little today with a fundraising appeal to “everyday people.”

From Bill Kaneko, Abercrombie’s campaign manager:

The other night, Neil's presumed opponent for the Democratic primary held a fundraiser in Waikiki. The Star Bulletin wrote that Mayor Hannemann's supporters comprise "an A-list of business and community leaders" that could provide him formidable financial resources.

But Neil has an A-list too, and it includes you -- the people he will work for every single day of his term as our next governor: women and families, children, soldiers and veterans, farmers, retirees, people hurting in this economic slump... everyone in our Hawaii.  Right now, Neil needs your help to build a campaign that will keep the election focused on the issues that matter to all of us. Every amount helps. Please make a donation of $10, $25, $50, $100, or more.

Gov. Linda Lingle, who is on the Mainland this week for the Republican Governors Association annual meeting in Texas, is talking pretty confidently about the GOP’s chances in gubernatorial races next year.

The RGA released new poll numbers that showed just 42 percent of voters in states with competitive governor’s races would re-elect President Obama. The Zogby International/O'Leary Report Poll poll determined the competitive races based on the Cook Political Report, which has Hawaii as a toss up.

Local political analysts give Democrats -- either U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie or Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann -- the edge over Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona in traditionally blue Hawaii, Obama’s birth state.

Lingle, however, believes Republicans can win everywhere.

From a dispatch by Mike Madden, our former colleague at Gannett in Washington, D.C., who is now with liberal Salon:

And (Mississippi Gov. Haley) Barbour came armed with a new poll by Zogby International that showed Obama's approval ratings and reelection numbers were perilously low in states with competitive gubernatorial races on tap for next year.

Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle said there was no reason the GOP shouldn't aim to win every single state. "There's no state that we can't win," she said.

"Talking to a Republican from Hawaii -- the first Republican elected in 40 years -- I'm telling you, we could win in every state."

Jim Williams, the administrator of the state Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund, sent a letter today to the president of the Hawaii Medical Service Association again demanding a retraction of an HMSA e-mail about the controversial open enrollment process.

In his letter to Robert Hiam, the HMSA president, Williams clarifies that the health plan options are EUTF plans administered by HMSA and HMA Inc. The options, he said, are not HMSA or HMA plans.

Both companies have advertised during the open enrollment process to try to lure government workers, showing that the companies see clear value in administering the EUTF plans.

From the Williams’ letter:

Employees do NOT have the “HMSA PPO Plan.” They have the EUTF PPO plan, administered by HMSA.

This is not an insured plan, so it is not an “HMSA plan.” Also, there is no “HMA Plan.”

The EUTF has insisted that this distinction be made in the publications and documents that describe the plan.

Wil Okabe, the president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, issued a written statement on Sunday describing Gov. Linda Lingle’s proposal to use the rainy day fund to help reduce teacher furloughs as the kind of viable option the union was looking for to return to the negotiating table.

Okabe’s statement was posted on the HSTA’s Web site and widely quoted in the news media. But in a message to teachers on Monday, tucked behind a password-protected wall on the Web site, he made it clear that the union had not committed to anything.

Lingle has said teachers should be willing to convert 15 non-instructional days to classroom time to reduce furlough days, a fact left out of Okabe’s message to teachers.

From Okabe:

It is important for HSTA members and staff to note that in my response to the governor, which was posted on our Web site yesterday, we did not commit to anything.

We are only saying, that if the governor is willing to come up with some money, we are open to discussion.

Sharp-eyed state House and Senate staffers today caught a potential hiccup in Gov. Linda Lingle’s plan to tap the rainy day fund to reduce teacher furloughs.

The law creating the fund specifically prohibits money from going to pay for collective bargaining expenses. Lawmakers would likely have to amend the law to use the money to reduce furlough days.

From the law:

(e)  Appropriations for the following purposes from the emergency and budget reserve fund are specifically prohibited:

(1)  To meet expenses of the legislature;

(2)  To provide for salary adjustments for officials appointed pursuant to article V, section 6 or article VI, section 3 of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii and for others whose salaries are directly related to salaries of these officials; and

(3)  To fund cost items in any collective bargaining contract.