Dan Onorato

Of course it is way too early to start openly campaigning for Governor, but no doubt Democratic wanna-bes are thinking about it.  The names you hear most seem to be Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningham, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, Auditor General Jack Wagner, former head of DEP Kathleen McGinty and millionaire Philadelphia businessman Tom Knox.

The name missing from most short lists may be the biggest name of them all.  U.S. Senator Bob Casey may be the one to come in and unite the forces behind one front-runner.  It is no secret that Casey has a love for Pennsylvania and has long dreamed of filling the same shoes his father once did in Harrisburg. 

Casey was convinced by Democratic leaders to seek the U.S. Senate seat, but it was no secret that was not where his heart was.  While sources close to Casey say he has grown to like the office, his true ambitions seem to still be in Harrisburg.  Casey is in perfect position to seek the seat in 2010.  His senate seat does not come up until 2012 and would not need to step down from his current office to run for the governor’s office.

So while the chances of Casey admitting he would be interested in the seat this far from the election are none, don’t forget to include his name in your short list. 

DENVER-Amid the sea of political insiders throwing back cocktails here Monday evening, Tom Knox stood out.

The millionaire Philadelphia businessman is not a delegate to the Democratic convention. But as he lays the groundwork for a possible run for governor in 2010, Knox, who almost won the Democratic mayoral primary in Philadelphia last year, is seeking support from all corners of the state.

At a cocktail party for the Pennsylvania delegation, he meandered throughout the room, schmoozing with political stars up and down the state hierarchy.

"I haven't been trying to get party support just yet, I've been trying to get personal support," Knox told PolitickerPA.com.

Gov. Ed Rendell, center, with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, left, and Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato.DENVER -- They trickled in to the Marriot ballroom gradually, most still adjusting to the high altitude as they gathered their buffet breakfast. As they ate, they shared their excitement for being at the Democratic Party's historic nominating convention here.

And then, they listened to the big wigs.

Gov. Ed Rendell, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and state party chairman T.J. Rooney all addressed the Pennsylvania state delegation at its opening breakfast here this morning. Delegates were also treated to the comedic, energetic stylings of Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who talked about turning red-state Montana to blue, and brief remarks from Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer.

Dan OnoratoDENVER--Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato is seen by many as the early Democratic frontrunner for the 2010 governor's race.

This morning, he insisted his focus was on electing U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to the White House.

Speaking with PolitickerPa.com before the Pennsylvania delegation's opening breakfast here, Onorato acknowledged that he was looking forward to meeting politicians from across the state.

But, he said, "our first goal is to make Pennsylvania a Sen. Obama state."

This article is by Dan Hirschhorn in Philadelphia and Alex Roarty in Harrisburg.

Even while they insist their energies are fully focused on electing their prospective party's nominees for president, members of the state's political establishment are quietly eyeing the next big elections in Pennsylvania: the race for governor and the race for senator in 2010.

With a bevy of political insiders set to convene over the next two weeks for their annual political conventions-Democrats in Denver next week and Republicans in St. Paul the following week-it's certain that prospective candidates for the two offices will be putting out feelers for support, though they'll be doing so quietly.

Prospective candidates for both offices will be present at both conventions, and though they assured PolitickerPa.com they were more focused on November's presidential election, most acknowledged it would be nice to have a who's who of state politicians in one room.

"I would say that next week in Denver I'll spend a lot of time talking to other ... Democrats from across the state about intentions and gauging their reaction and support," said Don Cunningham, the Lehigh County Executive who is considering a run for the Democratic nomination to succeed Gov. Ed Rendell.

"I'm not hosting any formal receptions or anything like that," Cunningham was quick to add. "I'm just going to be an active, regular part of the delegation. I know a lot of folks already, and I'm hoping to get to know more."

A few hours after PolitickerPA.com reported on the crowded early field for the 2010 governor's race, the man who still has 2 1/2 years left in the governor's mansion said that anything and everything could change between now and that distant election day.

In an interview with PolitickerPA.com, Gov. Ed Rendell said all of the potential candidates to succeed him have their political upsides, as well as their downsides.

"It's far too early to discuss who is a serious candidate and who isn't, because between now and 2010, in politics that's like years," Rendell said. "Good things can happen to people, bad things can happen to people. Some outside event can make someone's candidacy; some outside event can break someone's candidacy."

Rendell, a two-term Democrat, said his party has a "very good" field so far, but cautioned that each potential Democratic candidate could make trouble for another.

Gov. Ed RendellPennsylvanians won't cast their general election ballots for the next governor for more than two years. But with attention squarely focused on this year's presidential race, a large field of potential contenders are already lining up, each one sizing up his chances to succeed two-term Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell.

It's a surprisingly crowded field for how far away the election is, a field political watchers and analysts describe as impressive on both sides of the aisle. And with neither an incumbent nor a state household name in yet in play, most are forecasting a race that will be difficult to predict, one in which almost anyone could come out on top.

"It's an election that could go any way at the moment," said G. Terry Madonna, a pollster and political science professor at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster. "I don't see a clear favorite or even a clear party."

Longtime political consultant Larry Ceisler said: "I think you're going to have a lot of people running, and I think whatever I'm saying today, I will probably refute in 2010."

If there are any favorites at this early stage, there's also disagreements on who they are.

Does Dan Onorato have a drinking problem?

If he does, it's not the kind that involves kicking back with a few beers. His problem may be political fallout after the Allegheny County executive and early gubernatorial favorite adopted a 10 percent tax on alcoholic beverages.

The Morning Call reports that since Allegheny County adopted the tax two months ago, Onorato, a Democrat, "has found himself the butt of jokes, the subject of a song parody and even challenged to a boxing match."

PHILADELPHIA - Stymied in his 2007 attempt to become Philadelphia's mayor, millionaire businessman Tom Knox is setting his sights higher. After losing last year's Democratic mayoral primary to Michael Nutter, despite spending millions of dollars of his own money, Knox is readying a run for governor.

Although Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell's term isn't up until 2010, the field is already crowded with potential contenders and Knox's formula to win might be his personal wealth and his name recognition in southeastern Pennsylvania. A soft-spoken, self-made millionaire and former insurance executive, Knox told PolitickerPA.com he's determined to win. He has set up an exploratory committee, conducted preliminary polling and his website is up and running.

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to make sure that I'm the next governor of Pennsylvania," he said during an interview today at his Center City office.