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Arizona's next big political race is looming right around the corner.

A crowded field on both sides is being anticipated to mark the 2010 contest for governor.

And earlier this month on a widely watched Sunday morning round-table show in Phoenix, lobbyist Chris Herstam threw a new name into the mix — Southern Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

Herstam's theory: If Barack Obama wins the presidency and Gov. Janet Napolitano goes to Washington, D.C., to join his Cabinet (as many anticipate), then Republican Secretary of State Jan Brewer becomes governor, and, almost certainly, becomes the GOP candidate in 2010.

It's no secret that Attorney General Terry Goddard, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and shopping-mall developer Jim Pederson are interested in the Demo-cratic nomination.

"But what about a new rising Democratic star in Southern Arizona?" suggested Herstam, a former member of the Arizona Board of Regents, chief of staff for Republican Gov. Fife Symington and co-chair of Napolitano's former transition team.

"She's bright, articulate and married to an astronaut," Herstam said, referring to Giffords.

Herstam — who donated $250 to Giffords' first bid for Congress in 2006 but has given $400 to her GOP competitor, Tim Bee, this cycle — told Notebook he's playing the "what-if game." And he's not necessarily advocating a Giffords administration.

"It's a political tease," he said, "just to get people thinking."

He said he's aware of the challenges Giffords would face — it's been more than 30 years since someone from south of the Gila River was elected governor. And even Bee, who has previously dropped his own name for governor, has acknowledged the difficulty a Tucson candidate would have, given that Phoenix is the state's population center.

But Herstam suggested Giffords is "such a fresh face she might have the ability to surprise some people."

She also needs to avoid being defeated by Bee for re-election in her Republican-leaning congressional district come November.

And the idea of a second-term member of Congress giving up her seat for a long-shot bid for the state's top office might be a wee bit beyond reality.

But a race between Brewer and Giffords? "That's what I call real political change," Herstam said.

Any remaining speculation that Napolitano might be siphoned off to serve as Obama's vice presidential running mate evaporated this past week.

Napolitano told reporters the campaign has not requested any personal or professional information from her.

However, that speculation about a Cabinet position remains.

Dr. Matt Heinz, running for the Legislature, pitches himself to voters as a candidate who can heal the strife and differences of government and politics.

That's all good and noble, but voters suffering from election fatigue have heard that pitch before. And sometimes they want something more out of a candidate — like a diagnosis.

As the 31-year-old doc has made his rounds in District 29, voters have come to enjoy getting a little free health care out of his house visits.

"I am happy to give some good, general advice," said Heinz, who is running for state representative in the southern Tucson 29th District Democratic primary.

"I do get hit up a lot with questions, horror stories in the ER or whatever. I just think it has to do with the novelty of a doc hanging around asking for their vote."

One candidate/patient highlight: A man asked Heinz to diagnose some swelling in his foot. Heinz said it looked like severe osteoarthritis, and faster than you can say MRI, the man pledged his vote because that's what his doctor had diagnosed.

"It was kind of a test," Heinz said.

Heinz said he is hoping voters will return the favor and see him as the right prescription for the Legislature.