DES MOINES - With Iowa's economy in recession and a state budget in trouble, conventional wisdom would say Democratic Gov. Chet Culver will have to fight hard for a second term.

But a year before the primary election, it appears to be the Republicans who are in disarray, unable to find a big-name contender with a mainstream following.

''There's not a lot of people on the bench right now,'' said former Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Michael Mahaffey. ''The bench is somewhat depleted.''

That could spell trouble for the Iowa Republican Party because governors tend to shape the state's political agenda and the focus of state government.

''To some extent, Republicans are kind of in a real rebuilding phase,'' said former state chairman Stewart Iverson.

Culver hasn't officially announced that he'll seek re-election, but he's professed his love for the job, begun expanding his campaign organization and stepped up fundraising.

No Republican has announced a run for governor. All of those publicly considering the race are closely tied to the party's social conservative wing, including Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats, state Reps. Christopher Rants and Rod Roberts and state Sen. Jerry Behn.

None of those four command the kind of name recognition or financial muscle of Culver, and all could have trouble winning in a state that Democrat Barack Obama won in the general election with 54 percent of the vote.

Doug Gross, a Des Moines lawyer and the GOP nominee in 2002, said none of the four Republicans mulling the race have a good shot at denying Culver a second term, but he thinks someone else will emerge.

''I think they are all fine people and I don't think any of them will be the nominee,'' Gross said. ''I think we want to win and our nominee is going to have to have that statewide reach.''

Steve Scheffler, head of the Iowa Christian Alliance, rejects that argument.

''I think that's nonsense.'' Scheffler said. ''I think all four of the candidates are well-rounded candidates.''

Whoever gets the GOP nomination will need the support of plenty of voters outside the party to win. Voter registration as of June 1 showed 684,443 registered Democrats, compared with 577,645 Republicans. Iowans who registered without a party preference outnumbered both groups, with 694,397 people.

''It's an indication of how beaten down the party is,'' said Democratic strategist Jeff Link, who is not connected to Culver's election structure. ''Republicans are definitely starting out behind the eight ball.''

Still, Culver would enter the race with some problems. Iowa's economy has slowed and unemployment, while small compared with national numbers, stood at 5.1 percent in April, compared with 4 percent a year ago. He also has struggled with lawmakers from his own party.

And Iverson noted that plenty can change by November 2010.

''Even though we would have to give Culver the edge today, 16 months from now, there could be a huge difference in public opinion,'' he said.

Culver can point to a big victory in the last legislative session, when he pushed through an $830 million bonding package that will finance repairs to roads and other infrastructure. But several union-backed measures he supported, including expansion of bargaining rights and health care changes, were narrowly defeated, despite Democratic control in both legislative chambers.

Through it all, though, Culver has done two things important for a re-election bid: traveled the state and organized early, Link said.

Veteran Republican strategist Bob Haus warned that many Republicans underestimate the challenge in ousting Culver.

''Culver may be a very poor governor, but he's a very good campaigner,'' said Haus. ''By his own admission, that's what he loves to do.''