Parties already gearing for recounts

No, it's not too early to be thinking about the potential for recounts in close congressional races around the country.

In fact, according to this piece in today's Washington Post, "If you're a candidate who hasn't hired a recount lawyer yet, you're probably too late."

"Any 2010 recounts are going to be knock-down, drag-out doozies," writes Jay Weiner. "With so much at stake this year, and with the lessons and emotions of Minnesota 2008 and Florida 2000 lingering, recounts will almost certainly trigger an all-out assault ..."

Weiner is a staff writer at MinnPost.com who wrote a book about the eight-month Senate recount fight in Minnesota between Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken, who finally was declared the winner of the 2008 election by 312 votes.