CBS News/ February 5, 2010, 4:56 PM

Democrat: "We've Got a Good Shot" in 2010 Governors Races

The new Chairman of the Democratic Governor's Association, Delaware Governor Jack Markell, said his party considers its prospects in more than 30 competitive gubernatorial races in 2010 to be a "bright spot" on "Washington Unplugged" Friday.

"We have great candidates and great incumbents. We actually think governors races could be a bright spot," Markell said when moderator Bob Orr asked why Republicans shouldn't be energized after the GOP's wins in the Virginia and New Jersey governors races.

"It is a challenging landscape," he later conceded. "But if you look at it on a state by state basis on what you have to do in these races, you have opportunities in Florida, in California, in Texas, in Arizona, Nevada, New England states, Minnesota, Georgia."

Delaware is one of mid-Atlantic states that is expected to see feet of snow this afternoon, and Markell explained that the storm could hit his state's economy hard.

"It's tough for our businesses and this is not the first time it has occurred on the weekend when restaurants and other people count on" retail," he said. "It's a huge economic hit in terms of revenues lost. It is also a big economic hit because it is very expensive to plow."

But that has not stopped state workers, he added.

"We've got hundreds of very dedicated state workers who are out already salting the roads, ready to plow," said Markell. "It's something that we monitor very carefully."

Watch the full interview above.