Long rumored to be eyeing the state’s top political office, U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra said today that he will announce on Monday whether he will run for governor in 2010. And all signs indicate that he will enter the race.

The Holland Republican who has represented the 2nd Congressional District for nine terms told a Detroit radio talk show that it’s reasonable to assume he’ll be in the race, as The Detroit News reports. 

The main question for Hoekstra is “in a blue state, how do you put together a coalition that can win? I think it’s very, very doable,” the congressman said.

On the candidacy of Lt. Gov. John Cherry, who is the current Democrat front-runner for his party’s nomination based on recent polling data, Hoekstra said: “I hope John Cherry and the Democrats run on Gov. Granholm’s record … if nothing changes, nothing changes.”

Other Republicans who have formed exploratory committees or have indicated an interest in running for governor include Attorney General Mike Cox, Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder and Domino’s CEO David Brandon, who also sits on the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents.

Chris Killian is a freelance journalist based in Kalamazoo and writes regularly for The Kalamazoo Gazette.