If the 2012 GOP presidential nominee turns out to be a governor, chances are he will be from the south, and not Alaska. Governor Palin was denied a leadership seat in the Republican Governor's Association on Friday. This would make running for Ted Stevens' Senate seat more appealing for Palin, assuming she both wants to run for president and strengthen her resume and experience. So assuming she is the GOP Senator to throw her hat into the ring in 2012, we have several southern governors (current and former) who are in-position to at least explore a run in two years:

Mike Huckabee, 53, former fat governor of Arkansas

Bobby Jindal, 37, governor of Louisiana, who is making progress on his populist policy-making skills

Charlie Crist, 52, governor of Florida

Rick Perry, 58, governor of Texas

Sonny Perdue, 61, Governor of Georgia

Haley Barbour, 61, Governor of Mississippi, and an unapologetic ally of White Supramacists (who does he pal around with?)

and

Mark Sanford, 48, governor of South Carolina, who was given the RGA chairmanship

It certainly does seem that the GOP is going to remain a party of rural and/or southern voters. That is the strategy for now. Their other route would have to be an urban Republican celebrity - a Schwarzenegger-type figure. But the former is far more likely.