2010 TV ads in 2009, so the ad wars are well underway. And with 26 states holding primaries before July, it is unlikely that we'll see any lulls in ad spending. Further, the nation is layered with competitive races ranging from the U.S. House, where there could be as many as 70 competitive races, to the one-third of the U.S. Senate up for election. Better yet for those selling ad space, the majority of the 37 governors' races are currently without incumbents running for reelection.

Ad spending on the state level will be driven in large part by those governors' races. There are 37 states with governors' races in 2010, including California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York and Texas. With the list of open seats now greater thanof seats. Either way, such factors will lead to record ad-spending in a number of states.

What to watch for in 2010

One of the biggest political stories in 2009 was the rise of the "tea party" movement and its impact on the year's elections. That movement and others like it are expected to play a big role in the communication landscape this year. However, since the Reform Party failed to sustain itself on the political landscape, it is worth asking: Will the new digital media act as the glue to sustain these movements beyond the 2010 cycle?

Fundraising remains the biggest variable in 2010. Due to the economy, it is not a reach to predict that ad dollars could be off from past elections.

However, both parties have motivated base voters