The Florida governor's race, where incumbent Republican Charlie Crist is leaving to run for Senate, took a major step forward today with state Attorney General Bill McCollum declaring his candidacy for the Republican nomination -- and the state party chairman quickly lining up to support him, too.

McCollum was one of the House prosecutors of Bill Clinton's impeachment, then went on to narrowly lose the 2000 Florida Senate race to Democrat Bill Nelson. In 2004 he sought the GOP nomination for Senate again, but lost to Mel Martinez. Then in 2006 he was elected state Attorney General, the same office from which Crist went on to win the governorship.

The Democrats appear to be quickly coalescing around the state Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink as their candidate for governor, meaning that both sides could see clear primary fields in the gubernatorial race -- but some possible friction in the Senate primaries.