Campaigning for 2010 starts early in one US state

Believe it or not, it seems America is beginning to gear up for the campaign trail leading to 2 November 2010.
This email from Massachusetts showed up in my Inbox this week.

Dear Friends:
Please join Governor Deval Patrick at a grassroots organizing meeting for supporters and volunteers today, April 16th at 3:30 at Rachel's Lakeside Restaurant on Route 6 in Dartmouth. The Governor will be speaking about his upcoming governing agenda in 2009 and some of his long-term priorities. We will also be discussing ways for you to get involved and help the Governor now and looking toward 2010 and the re-election campaign. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks, Clare Kelly
Clare Kelly
Deval Patrick Committee

The Democrat governor has his own website and Twitter and, of course he's asking for political donations.
Given he was elected with about 56 per cent of the vote last time, it is puzzling to find his campaign committee kitty virtually empty at $3,200 and other campaign funds only reaching somewhere in the vicinity of $500,000.
Is it the tough economic climate or is he an inept governor?
The fact that he appears to be campaigning in far away Australia among people ineligible to vote in US elections may give a hint.