Is 2010 shaping up to be the year of the primary?

One of the unknown outcomes of the health care debate is whether the Howard Dean wing of the Democratic Party will follow through on its promise to challenge those who don't support a public option. Sen. Arlen Specter already faces a challenge from the left in Rep. Joe Sestak. Last week a high-profile Arkansas Democrat suggested he may challenge Sen. Blanche Lincoln. And open-seat races in Illinois and Ohio have already drawn multiple Democrats.

As the CW hardens that Republicans are poised to pick up seats in the midterms, meanwhile, one can't overlook a developing intraparty schism. The DSCC happily points today to two possible battles between the party in Washington and the grass roots. Supporters of Rand Paul's campaign for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky have launched a Web site seeking to raise funds through a "money bomb" on Sept. 23, the same day fellow Republican Trey Grayson heads to Washington for a fundraiser featuring 23 incumbents. And the Denver Post reports on some push back to an apparent NRSC effort to back former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton in the Colorado Senate race.

Gov. Charlie Crist's (R) appointment of his former chief of staff to Florida's vacant U.S. Senate seat, meanwhile, may have added a Washington-esque cronyism charge to what had been primarily an ideological fight by Marco Rubio. In New Hampshire, the Union Leader already urged the national party to butt out of that state's Senate race, where Kelly Ayotte is the Washington favorite. And in the gubernatorial field, Rick Perry is tapping anti-Washington sentiment in his battle against Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Some of these primary fights may fizzle. But it seems already that midterm battle will start sooner than people realize.

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