One recurring theme during the closing days of the campaign and the first few days after the election was that a newly minted generation of political junkies would suffer withdrawal. Not to worry. Less than a week has passed, and we've got the first handicap report on California's 2010 gubernatorial election to dissect.

And why not? Some stores have been set up for Christmas since the Fourth of July.

Michael Rothfeld rounds up the likely field of candidates in today's Los Angeles Times. Alas, no great surprises.

Among the Democrats mentioned are Jerry Brown, John Garamendi, Gavin Newsom (though his "Howard Dean moment" on same-sex marriage might hurt him in the general election, it is pointed out), Antonio Villaraigosa and Steve Westley (who also has been mentioned for an Obama administration post). The wild card, of course, is Dianne Feinstein. If she runs, chances are everyone else is busy. Errands to run. Hair to wash. Lawn to mow. No time for a campaign.

There aren't many household names among the Republicans -- Meg Whitman, Steve Poizner and Campbell. But Whitman, the founder of eBay, is a self-made billionaire. Poizner, the state's insurance commissioner, has deep pockets, too. Campbell has been on the faculty at Cal and Stanford, served five terms in Congress and was state finance director under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

I think Feinstein takes a pass, and we see a free-for-all among the Democrats. Whitman seems to me to have the inside for the Republicans - money, huge business success, female. What do you think? Or were you hoping to get through Thanksgiving (or at least Veterans Day) without thinking about the next election?

-- Jim Sweeney