Although it has only been four months since the last statewide election, candidates are already beginning to line up for the 2002 governor"s race particularly on the Democratic side, where it seems likely that at least one of three prominent Michigan politicians will run.

According to a survey conducted by the Lansing-based polling firm EPIC/MRA last month among 400 likely Democratic voters, former Gov. James Blanchard would garner 42 percent of Democratic votes. State Attorney General Jennifer Granholm finished second with 26 percent, followed by U.S. Rep. David Bonior of Mt. Clemens with 16 percent and state Sen. Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township with 2 percent.

The winner of the Democratic primary will likely face Lt. Gov. Dick Posthumus in the November general election. Posthumus seems to have gained the support of most Republicans, although there is speculation that Sen. John Schwarz (R-Battle Creek) and Senate Majority Leader Dan DeGrow (R-Port Huron) may contest Posthumus in the Republican primary.

Both Schwarz and DeGrow expect to make their final decisions within the next few months.

According to the poll, whose margin of error is plus or minus 5 percent, if the general election were held today both Granholm and Blanchard would defeat Posthumus by 20-point margins with a Bonior-Posthumus race too close to call.

Blanchard served as governor from 1983 until he was defeated in 1990 by current Gov. John Engler.

The former governor has been touring the state for the past month in what he has described as an attempt to gauge support for his candidacy.

Reactions have been encouraging, Blanchard said, and chances are likely that he will run.

"If things continue, there"s no question about it," he said this week.

He admitted, however, that it is too early to predict the winner of the Democratic primary.

"They can take polls now that show I win, but that may not be the case a year from now," he said.

Granholm has not formally declared her candidacy, although she did admit to planning a run for another term as attorney general if she does not run for the governor"s office. A decision, Granholm said yesterday after speaking at a symposium at the law school, can be expected by the end of the month.

"I"ll be on the ballot in 2002, no matter what," Granholm said.

"I"ve been talking to a lot of people and gauging the level of support out there and if I announce that I"m running it will be because I am convinced that Michigan needs a change and I"m the one person to carry that forward," she added.

Allison Remsen, a spokeswoman for Bonior, said the congressman has still not made up his mind.

"He is seriously looking at the race," Remsen said.

As to Bonior"s earlier remarks that he was "90 percent sure" that he would run for governor, Remsen said the statement still holds true.

It is clear, though, that Bonior would be taking a great risk.

Should the Republican-dominated state Legislature not redraw districts in a way that would make his re-election to the house unlikely, Bonior would be sacrificing a very high-level role in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Currently the minority whip, or assistant minority leader, he would likely be elevated to the post of majority leader if the Democrats gain a majority in the House in 2002.

The only Democratic candidate to have officially declared candidacy is Sen. Alma Wheeler Smith (D-Salem Twp.).