He's back

After months of "listening posts" (like informal campaign events, but semantically different), former Gov. Don Siegelman told The Associated Press on Saturday that he's in the race for Alabama's top job next year. He'll join Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley, the first major gubernatorial contender to make her candidacy official, in a battle for the Democratic nomination.

Siegelman said he's eager to begin debates as soon as November, which is incredibly early even in the modern era of wall-to-wall politics, but Baxley wants to wait until early next year. Meanwhile, neither of the top Republican contenders for governor -- former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore and Gov. Bob Riley -- has made his candidacy official yet, but it's only a matter of time.