Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.

No matter the outcome of his re-election, Ehrlich will remain the leader of the Republican Party and part of the conversation for 2010. If he wins re-election and Mikulski decides to retire, Ehrlich is sure to take a hard look at going back to Washington where he served several terms as a congressman from Baltimore County. An Ehrlich win this fall — in the midst of the national GOP meltdown — will boost Ehrlich’s national profile, which could prompt talk of a vice presidential slot for him in 2008. An Ehrlich loss means that he makes money for a few years and takes encouraging phone calls from his GOP and conservative Democratic base to challenge O’Malley in 2010.