2013 is a banner year for a number of different governors.
Some are trying to position themselves for a run at higher office.
Others are winding down their terms and trying to cram as much of their agenda in as possible.
Still others are looking at tough re-election fights coming through the pipeline and are trying to get ready for a referendum.
Ten governors specifically have exciting years ahead.
Here are the ones you've got to watch.
Bobby Jindal (R-La.)
Believed to be a top contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 — at least according to Karl Rove — Jindal's got conservative credibility and brings an element of diversity to the GOP as it struggles to shed its all-white reputation.
This year, Jindal is pushing a highly controversial tax reform package, setting Louisiana up as one of the first states to experiment with removing income taxes in favor of consumption taxes.
Martin O'Malley (D-Md.)
O'Malley, who is term limited, is working to position himself as a leading progressive in the Democratic Party in the lead-up before he leaves office in 2014.
O'Malley oversaw the passage of Maryland's version of the DREAM Act, which allows undocumented students to pay in-state college tuition. His state was the first to uphold same-sex marriage on a ballot measure. Now, he's preparing a tough set of gun control laws.
With the clock ticking on his time in office, 2013 is a very important year for O'Malley.
Rick Snyder (R-Mich.)
Emboldened by his successful push to pass Michigan's new Right to Work legislation late last year, Snyder is looking to pursue an ambitious agenda in 2013.
So far, he has called for higher gas taxes and registration fees, online voter registration, and changes to Michigan's no-fault insurance system, setting himself up for some major political battles over the next 12 months. Snyder also has to contend with ongoing crises with the state's municipal government, including in Detroit, Michigan's largest city.
If he can successfully complete a turnaround of Michigan's economy, Snyder could be a major dark horse contender for 2016.
Source: Detroit Free Press, MSN, Politics Today
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