Here’s a new way of coloring election maps.  No red, no blue.  Just shades of yellow-green indicating where women are fighting their way toward governors’ mansions in 2010.  (Click on it to enlarge.)  If you’re wondering how the route might lead through the whorehouse, scroll down to coverage of Texas.  Here’s how the states break down:

Terms Not Expiring
North Carolina:  Beverly Purdue
Washington:  Christine Gregoire

Incumbents Running for Re-election
Alaska:  Sarah Palin (Unannounced)
Arizona:  Jan Brewer
Connecticut:  Jodi Rell (Unannounced)

Term-Limited Incumbents

Hawaii:  (term expiring for Linda Lingle) No women are announced candidates.

Michigan:  (term expiring for Jennifer Granholm) Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land is running in a crowded Republican field. A March 13 poll showed her favored by 12% of potential GOP primary voters, behind three other candidates, but 32% still are undecided. The poll also showed that in a potential general election match up with Lt. Gov. John Cherry, she’d top him 39% to 34%.  Partially because his polling numbers look weak, Cherry has competitors for the nomination, including State Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith.

New Opportunities

Alabama:  State Treasurer Kay Ivey has told the Mobile Press-Register, “I plan to be on the ballot for governor,” though she hasn’t made a formal announcement.  She faces a crowded Republican field.

California:  Former e-Bay head Meg Whitman recently picked up endorsements by US Sen. John McCain and US Rep. (and minority whip) Eric Cantor for the GOP nomination, but many of the Republican legislators are lining up behind her opponent. “The elephant in the room is: Will [US Sen. Democrat] Dianne Feinstein come in? There’s about a 50% chance,” says Barbara O’Connor of Sacramento State in a CSM interview.

Florida:  State CFO Alex Sink was “obviously the star of the evening,” at the state Democratic party’s annual Jefferson-Jackson fundraiser, according to the Miami Herald. “We haven’t had a candidate that we’ve all been behind early in a long time,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Seiler to the Herald. “It’s going to be let’s all get behind Alex.” In early polling Sink is running about even with her likely GOP general-election opponent.

Georgia:  ”The GOP ‘establishment’ has been prepared to put its full weight behind its candidate, [Secretary of State] Karen Handel. But now that support could be cut in half by the presence of state Sen. Eric Johnson.  Johnson will face pressure to step aside.  But Johnson, who has amassed enough support to split the longtime leaders of the GOP, likely won’t do that. He will instead argue that as a legislative leader for the minority party, he is the only Republican candidate who ever went at it with [recent entrant and former Democratic Gov. Roy] Barnes on a daily basis,” says Matt Towery of Insider Advantage Georgia.

Maine:  State Green Party Chair Dr. Lynne Williams has announced her candidacy.

Minnesota:  “Many people thought [Pawlenty] would run for a third term, so you’re catching the Republicans a little off balance,” said State Rep. Laura Brod to Minnesota Public Radio when Pawlenty announced that he would not run. MPR says that in addition to Brod, other female Republicans considering running are State Sen. Michelle Fischback and former State Auditor Pat Anderson.  On the Democratic side, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner has declared. House Speaker Margaret Kelliher’s office told Pioneer Press that she is focused on her job as speaker and no announcement is imminent, leaving the door open.

Nevada:  No candidates have announced yet, but women mentioned as potential entrants include State Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, State Treasurer Kate Marshall, and State Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto.

New Mexico:  ”Lt. Gov Diane Denish has been considered Bill Richardson’s heir apparent in 2010, but it seems like she may not get a free ride on the way to the nomination,” said Swing State Project in reporting that another Democratic candidate has formed an exploratory committee. “Denish has a $1.7 million headstart on fundraising, though.”  The New Mexico Independent says that among those considering entering the Republican race are former US Rep. Heather Wilson and State Rep Janice Arnold-Jones.

Oklahoma:  A possible win-win state. Politico calls US Rep. and former Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin the frontrunner for the Republican nomination.  In the general election, she may face current Lt. Gov. Jari Askins.

Rhode Island:  Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts still is undeclared. “There is currently no timeline in place… She’s still going through the steps necessary to look at a run for governor,” fellow democrat Seth Klaiman told CQ Politics. 

South Carolina:  State Rep. Nikki Haley received high praise, if not an official endorsement, from the state’s governor when she announced her candidacy to succeed him. However, she’ll have to beat several other serious and well-connected candidates to win the primary.

South Dakota:  US Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin is seriously considering a run, according to the WaPo.

Tennessee:  Former State House Majority Leader Kim McMillan will battle at least three other candidates for the Democratic nomination.

Texas:  “The national script for the Rick Perry-Kay Bailey Hutchinson battle royale is pretty well set – it represents no less than the future direction of the Republican Party,” says Ryan Rusak of the Dallas Morning News.  David Carney, as strategist for conservative incumbent governor Perry, recently ruffled feathers when he told the DMN that Perry agrees that the party should reach out to moderates (whom Sen. Hutchinson attracts), “but that doesn’t mean you take your principles and throw them out the door and become a whorehouse and let anybody in who wants to come, in, regardless.”   Hutchinson’s supporters protested, saying in a letter to Perry, “it is always concerning and disheartening when we see people resort to behavior aimed at belittling women.”  The Republican nominee is expected to win the general election.

Wisconsin:  Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton told the Green Bay Press-Gazette that she’ll run only if current Governor Doyle does not seek re-election. “I don’t have a clear landscape ahead of me,” she said.