Welcome to 2010

We may be getting ahead of ourselves - like three or four election cycles ahead of ourselves - but it is worth noting that Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland - nine months into a four-year term - has already started gearing up for his re-election effort.



Some of the governor's best deep-pocket pals, including some statehouse lobbyists, are getting together Nov. 16 at Columbus' Nationwide Arena for a "Circle of Friends" fundraiser.



Tickets for a private reception withteh governor and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher are going for $2,500 a couple. The less well-heeled riff-raff can scrape together $150 and get in the "Circle of Friends" reception that follows.



The checks will go to the Strickland for Governor committee, but chances are, some of this money could end up helping the Ohio effort of whoever ends up with the Democratic presidential nomination and making sure Ohio stays "blue" through the 2008 cycle and into 2010, when Strickland will be up for re-election.



And since there are already no less than three well-known Republicans - Rob Portman, Mike DeWine, and John Kasich - dropping broad hints that they would like to take him on in 2010 - there's probably no time that is too early to start thinking about the re-election campaign.