Caprio 2014?

Frank Caprio undoubtedly exits the 2010 campaign a damaged politician. His "shove it" comments and break with Democratic orthodoxy make another Democratic run for governor - or any other major office - hard to fathom. But don't count him out.

Caprio is a smart guy, an able fundraiser. And he could, conceivably, be your GOP gubernatorial nominee come 2014.

Defecting to the GOP during this year's gubernatorial contest was never a serious consideration. Caprio had a solid hold on the Democratic nomination for many a month and, until the final weeks of the general election, was running neck-and-neck with the eventual winner, Lincoln Chafee. And besides, for a politician already viewed as the calculating sort, a move to the Republican Party would have been viewed as opportunistic.

But the calculus would be far different come 2014. Running as a Democrat would be difficult - surviving a primary after this year's performance would be challenging, to put it mildly. And unlike this year, Caprio would have a plausible reason for becoming a Republican; most would understand why a fiscal conservative who told President Obama to "shove it" is a good fit for the GOP.

His political profile - sound fiscal management is his calling card - would be all the more attractive if Chafee struggles to right the ship on Smith Hill. And that's not hard to imagine given the scale of the problem.

A Caprio candidacy would have its problems, no doubt. "Shove it" would linger. And a party switch - if more plausible in 2014 - would still smack of opportunism to some.

But Caprio would be a more seasoned candidate; perhaps willing to stray a bit from a rigid on-message strategy that obscured some of his intelligence and charm. And he could expect to fare a bit better in the press - the stories about his father that surfaced this time around, in Caprio's first high-profile race, would be old news.

Look, it may not happen. But remember, you heard it here first.