Should Terry McAuliffe, the chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and a former DNC chairman, decide to run for governor of Virginia, he'll have competition for the Democratic nomination. Democrats already running include state Delegate Brian Moran, first elected to the House in 1995 and the brother of U.S. Rep. Jim Moran, and State Sen. Creigh Deeds, a state legislator since 1991 who was defeated in the close 2005 race for attorney general.

Awaiting the Democratic nominee in the general election will likely be Attorney General Bob McDonnell, a Republican who defeated Deeds by 323 votes in 2005. Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a Republican, is running for re-election.

Virginia and New Jersey are the only two states holding elections for governor in 2009. Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi also hold odd-year gubernatorial elections -- all three will hold their next elections in 2011.