Mitt's early start in Ohio

Granted, Ohio is not a top priority for any of the presidential candidates, Democratic or Republican, with its March primary likely to be a so-what affair.

But, nonetheless, Mitt Romney is light years ahead of the opposition when it comes to building a general-election campaign here.

It's one of his best fundraising states, thanks to Carl and Craig Lindner, the Pied Pipers of GOP fundraising who signed on with Mitt early and brought a lot of their corporate buddies with them.

Romney's campaign has also signed on two state legislators from opposite ends of the state to tout his candidacy - State Sen. Kevin Coughlin of Cuyahoga Falls to handle the north end of the state, State Rep. Shannon Jones of Springboro to handle Ohio south of Interstate 70.

The latest news from the Romney camp is that they have signed on a veteran GOP operator as their Ohio state campaign director - David Gallagher, who helped elect Mike DeWine to the U.S. Senate and was part of the Bush-Cheney team that won Ohio in 2004.

Gallagher has been working on GOP campaigns in Nevada for the past couple of years.

The only other GOP candidate to have a high-profile endorsement in Ohio is John McCain, whose state campaign chairman will be DeWine, his former Senate buddy. But there is no hint of any kind of McCain campaign organization in Ohio. Nor for any of the other GOP contenders.

Better get crackin'. Mitt's starting to suck all the air out of the room.