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Two 30-second radio spots airing locally seek to recruit Republican candidates for elective office.

The spots are running on KHVH News Radio 830 AM, home to local conservative gabber Rick Hamada and national personalities Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

“If you believe in conservative local values, I want you to run for public office,” implores Jonah Kaauwai, chairman of the , in one of the ads, which can be .

The ads don’t pull any punches.

“Greedy union bosses, unaccountable elected officials and an arrogant political establishment that has overtaxed Hawaii familes and local businesses and stuck our kids with the third-worst education system in the nation,” Kaauwai argues in one. “It’s time for this to change and principled people to get involved and run for elected office to protect our children’s future.”

In a state known for , the local GOP sure could use the help. But the ads are an extraordinary step in a year when the Tea Party has infused the GOP with energy in many mainland states, even as it disrupts the Republican establishment. To take to the general airwaves to try to recruit candidates could be a sign of how open the party is to new blood. But it could also be a sign of how shallow its bench is.

A goodly number of Republicans are running or have pulled papers to run for the U.S. House and Senate, the governorship and lieutenant governorship, as of . But most of the Democratic candidates are far better established.

The contests for the state Legislature, meanwhile, are heavily weighted toward Democratic incumbents, some of whom — Sens. , Brian Taniguchi, and , and Reps. Marcus Oshiro, Mark Takai, Maile Shimabukuro and Hermina Morita — are as yet completely unopposed for re-election.

With less than a month to go before the July 20 filing deadline, Democrats appear likely to hold and even improve upon their 23-2 majority in the Senate and 45-6 majority in the House.

(County offices in Hawaii are all nonpartisan.)

Local Republicans even have difficulties fielding candidates who have previosuly run under the party flag.

For example, Inam Rahman, a physician and former president of the Hawaii Medical Association, ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House as a Republican in 2004. This year “Dr. Noodles,” as he is known (think “ramen”), is running as a Democrat for the District 35 House seat as a Democrat. His sole opponent is the Democrat incumbent.

Hence the radio pitch.

Calls to the Republican Party of Hawaii weren’t returned. However at least two anonymous people have commented on YouTube.

• “The first one seems more hard hitting, and definitely gives listeners the strength they need to stand up against big government.”

• “I can’t run for office yet, but you certainly have my support for any candidates that do wish to run!”