With the nation on edge trying to figure out who will be the next president, several state politicians are quietly calling dibs on the governor's seat.

Although few will admit it.

Potential gubernatorial candidates are crawling out of the woodwork, including the state attorney general, Springfield legislators, a former head of Chicago Public Schools and brother of long-time Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.

The next election for governor is more than two years away, but University of Illinois political analyst Jim Nowlan said now is the time candidates start thinking about their campaign.

"It's said that presidential campaigns begin the day after the election, so maybe it's not unreasonable that at the state level, the invisible primary would start a couple of years before the actual election," he said.

The invisible primary, he said, is happening right now.

It's a period when potential candidates start testing the waters in an attempt to build visibility, political piggy banks and credibility within their party, he said.

"This is in many ways the most important stage of the campaign because it results in the winnowing out of a large number of prospective candidates," Nowlan said. "You don't want to split up your own political base, so you try to scare out -- by a show of money and political support -- those others who are trying to garner the same things."

A campaign spokesman for Gov. Rod Blagojevich said the governor isn't sure whether he'll run for a third term.

"He has not made that decision yet," said Doug Scofield. "It's too early to speculate on it."

So far, Democrats Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Chicago mayoral brother Bill Daley are the Democrats to beat, Nowlan said.

Madigan is the daughter of House Speaker Mike Madigan, one of Illinois' most powerful Democrats. Given her visibility and credibility working as state attorney general and her father's ability to raise money, she long has been considered an eventual candidate.

Daley considered running in 2002 but ducked out for personal reasons. With a well-known ballot name and the perceived potential to raise a lot of money from the business community, the former U.S. commerce secretary says he's considered the idea again for 2010, but it's too early to talk about it.

"There's no reason to waste a lot of time or energy thinking about something two and a half years away," Daley said. "Call me next year."

Other Democratic candidates who have also expressed interest include Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, Comptroller Dan Hynes, Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and former head of Chicago Public Schools Paul Vallas.

"Has it come up in conversation? Many times," said Giannoulias, who is the youngest elected treasurer in the country. "I don't stay up at night thinking about it."

Some legislators also are interested in the position, including state Rep. Jack Franks, D-Woodstock and senators Christine Rodogno, R-Lemont, Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, and Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline.

"I'm mulling it over," said Jacobs, who believes voters are tired of Chicago politicians, but admitted he'd have to raise some serious money to run. "What I'm willing to do is work hard, roll up my sleeves and move Illinois forward. I don't want to see Illinois roll backward."