Former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle, a Republican, continues to play up her moderate side in the race for U.S. Senate.

Lingle told a group of Republicans that she doesn’t shy away from the RINO — Republican in Name Only — label, according to The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper. 

“I’ve been called a RINO before, which I don’t mind,” Lingle said to a group in a Las Vegas ballroom, according to The Hill. “There are a lot of people who support these RINOs, whether it’s me or [former New York Mayor] Rudy Giuliani or [former New Jersey Gov.] Christine Todd Whitman.”

Those who are still sour at Lingle for vetoing civil unions legislation in Hawaii will note that Giuliani has characterized himself as a supporter of civil unions but has also sounded off against some states’ civil unions laws as going too far. (He said that passing New York’s same-sex marriage law this year “showed a lot of leadership.”)

Both Giuliani and Whitman have said that the GOP needs to stop focusing on divisive social issues, and Lingle — at this early stage in her campaign — appears to agree with them.

Read the full story from The Hill.