It's February 3, 2011 and 2012 Political Ads Are Here

Is it 2012 yet? It certainly seems like it with Democrats and their allies running radio ads against three freshmen Republicans in Congress in the Sunshine State. The Republicans are also getting an early start as the National Republican Senate Committee released an ad on Tuesday taking aim at Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

More than a few pundits have pointed out that the contest for the Republican presidential nomination is off to a slow startand they have a point compared to say the battle for the GOP nod back in 1988 which Pete du Pont kicked off by jumping in the field back in September 1986.

While the candidates may be off to a slow start, their fans appear ready to go. Attending mass this past Sunday, I could not help but notice the plethora of cars in the parking lot with political bumper stickers. There were some for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Other cars advertised Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney. Someone had an old McCain-Palin sticker with McCains name missing. The one surprise was a bumper sticker for Rick Santorum (no, its not my car which still has bumper stickers advertising James K. Polk and Franklin Pierce with We Polked Them in 44, Well Pierce Them in 52). Increasingly, there is no off-season in politics.