At several levels, Hawaii Democrats were victorious in this week's election and Republicans fell deeper into the abyss. The state's GOP is increasingly irrelevant in the Legislature and congressional delegation, and faces more questions about its viability unless its leaders find a way to broaden its appeal.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann was Tuesday's big winner with his defeat of fellow Democrat and outgoing City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi in the nonpartisan runoff. Voters also gave their approval to the rail transit plan, his major project.

Democrats also can claim victory in the rejection of a Constitutional Convention that Republicans saw as a vehicle for bypassing the Democratic Legislature, which has rejected their proposals in the past. Labor unions that have been the backbone of the Democratic Party were the key opponents of such a convention.

Some conservatives might have opposed the Con Con because of the estimated cost of as much as $41 million. Still, the convention proposal was rejected by less than a 2-1 ratio. The City Charter amendment approving the rail transit gained only 52.6 percent of the vote.

U.S. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono faced token opposition from Republicans. The GOP essentially conceded those and many other races.

Republicans' showing in legislative contests was miserable. Incumbent Sen. Gordon Trimble was narrowly defeated by former Democratic Party Chairman Brickwood Galuteria. A Senate seat vacated by Big Island Republican Paul Whalen was filled by Rep. Josh Green, who faced no Republican opposition in the September primary - as did five other returning Senate Democrats. The only Republicans left in the 25-member Senate are Sam Slom and Fred Hemmings, who were not up for re-election.

Rep. Colleen Meyer was defeated by Democratic newcomer Jessica Wooley, leaving only six Republicans in the 51-member House. Quentin Kawananakoa, a former legislator seeking a return to the House, was once considered a GOP star but was clobbered by 27-year-old upstart Democrat Chris Kalani Lee. Twenty-two Democratic representatives went completely unchallenged by Republicans in their coast to re-election.

Gov. Linda Lingle spoke with optimism at her party's annual convention in May about increasing the number of Republicans in the Legislature. However, she provided little assistance, instead spending much of the last month on the mainland campaigning for Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain.

Party leaders fought off an attempt at that convention to rid the party organization of “;wishy-washy”; Republicans favoring a “;big tent”;; the challengers wanted to put “;real Republicans”; in charge. Such a move would delight Democrats, whose tent will enlarge by continued defections of moderate Republicans. The GOP's problem is that its big tent is nearly empty.