Where the GOP presidential field stands

The AP has a long piece out on the makeup of the Republican nomination as it stands today, why Republicans are waiting so long to jump into the ring and the senior staff around each of the political campaigns. For political junkies it's a must read, if only to familiarize yourself with the cast of characters who are going to dominate part of our crazy political discourse over the next year.

On the reason Republicans have demurred in declaring their candidacy.

Campaigns are expensive and the sooner a candidate working with a small group of advisers formally declares, the faster the organization grows and the bills flood in. Being a formally declared candidate also brings an intense level of scrutiny and pressure.

"The day you announce and start a campaign, you create the demand for an infrastructure. Your clock starts, but your burn rate starts on your money immediately," Mike Huckabee, a 2008 candidate and possible 2012 candidate, said in an interview. "However many staffers, and however many trips you take, and the phone lines and the computer lines and the office equipment and everything it takes to gin up a campaign — I'm not speaking from the idealistic, I'm speaking of the harsh realities of what it costs."

Romney and Pawlenty are set to declare in early April.

Pawlenty is preparing for an announcement tour in the next six weeks. Many of his advisers from his political action committee are expected to be part of his White House bid, including: Phil Musser, a former adviser to Romney and former head of the Republican Governors Association; former Bush campaign officials Terry Nelson and Sara Taylor; and Alex Conant, a former RNC press secretary.

Romney and Pawlenty both are expected to take their own official steps in early spring, likely after April 1.

Jon Huntsman has the demon sheep ad maker, so expect a lot of over the top, three minute video ads over the next year while Huntsman is still in the race.

The former Utah governor's resignation from Beijing takes effect in April and he might launch a campaign from his new Washington-area home in May. If he does, Huntsman has veterans of presidential campaigns ready to help craft his message, including veteran Hollywood-based ad maker Fred Davis.