In the New Jersey governor’s race, incumbent Jon “Don’t vote for the fat guy” Corzine finally faces off with Republican challenger Chris Christie. You might remember a recent post I wrote about the whole “fat” thing. This race seems to be in a dead heat, so the results will be eagerly awaited.

Virginia looks poised to elect a Republican governor to succeed super-popular Democratic Gov. Tim “should-have-been-VP” Kaine despite President Obama’s support for the Democratic candidate, R. Creigh Deeds. Polls show that some dissatisfaction with the Obama/Pelosi/Democratic legislative platform has been a component in GOP candidate Bob McDonnell’s healthy preview numbers, and pundits will chatter tomorrow night about what this race means, if anything, for congressional Democrats in 2010.

The congressional race in New York’s 23rd District, one of the most bizarre contests ever, will be settled between a candidate on the Conservative Party platform and a Democrat (who was endorsed by the Republican nominee, who dropped out this weekend). Yes, I said it was strange. Read more here. But the takeaway in this contest won’t be the winner; it will be how grassroots Republicans and conservative (small c) independents break with mainline Republicans. When the pundits get sick of talking about New Jersey, they’ll talk this one up (or, if you watch MSNBC, they’ll focus on it completely to play up the splits in the GOP).

And then there are the ballot measures, always fun. Issues this year include medical marijuana expansion (Maine), the repeal of benefits extention to gay couples (Washington), the repeal of a statute allowing gay marriage (Maine) and whether to allow casino gambling for economic benefit (Ohio). Fun, huh?

OH!! And I almost forgot. If all those elections and ballot initiatives weren’t enough fun, CNN is going to have JESSE VENTURA on as a guest on Larry King Live! Yes, the former-wrestler-turned-governor-of-Minnesota-turned-party-unaffiliate will be sounding off about the evils of organized politics tomorrow night. CNN! What? Joy Behar wasn’t available? Oh, that’s right—you guys gave her her own show. And how’s that working out, exactly?

Closer to home, there’s plenty going on, too:

The Alabama Republican Party will host a news conference in Montgomery at 10 a.m. to talk ethics reform. Word has it that there are some questions about some personnel spending in the Senate, among a bunch of other related things.

GOP gubernatorial candidate Bradley Byrne will roll out his ethics plan at 2 p.m. in Birmingham. “Byrne will outline the specifics of his Ethics Reform package and his plans for achieving legislative passage,“ according to a campaign news release. Note the capital E and the capital R. It must be important if random, inexplicable capitalization is involved!

Unless he’s planning a first-hand report about rush-hour traffic on 280, Byrne had better make it quick in Birmingham, or rent a helicopter, because he’s due to appear with the other six announced gubernatorial candidates in a forum at Auburn University at 7 p.m. This is one of the first times all seven candidates—two Democrats, five Republicans—will appear together. Yes, I’m planning to be there, if for no other reason than to report to you how many times the candidates dodge state issues, like why most of them don’t trust you to reform Alabama’s antiquated constitution, to share with you their unsolicited thoughts on congressional issues, like how much they oppose the dreaded OBAMACARE (insert blood-curdling screams from your Halloween garden noise machine here).

I’m really counting on the League of Women Voters and our local chambers of commerce to keep the candidates’ feet to the fire and keep their attention focused where it should be—on the people, potential and problems in Alabama, not on cheap shots at national figures in Washington.