R.G. Ratcliffe takes a cue from me.

One politician whose name is floated for almost every statewide office is former Comptroller John Sharp, who lost runs for lieutenant governor in 1998 and 2002. Former Party chairs Bob Slagle and Molly Beth Malcolm said Sharp is an unlikely path for the Democrats' future.

"I doubt that he can raise the money for a major statewide race. You lose too many times and it makes it hard to raise statewide money," Slagle said.

"John Sharp had his time," said Malcolm, 53. "It's time for new blood. That's not to say you won't see people my age running, but this is really a generational change."