On national popular vote legislation, the governor's party has been key

Deval Patrick says he needs more time to study the national popular vote legislation, but if it gets through, he'll sign it.

The question is: will a Republican one ever?

The first to sign the bill into a state law was Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D), followed by Governors Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) and Rod Blagojevich (D-Ill.).

But in states where the legislation made it through both chambers and went to governors with the letter 'R' behind their names, none have signed it.

After passing in California, the most populous state in the union, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) put the kibosh on sending their 55 electoral votes to the national popular vote winner. Vermont Gov. Paul Douglas (R) vetoed the bill as did Rhode Island Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri just last week.

In Hawaii, Gov. Linda Lingle (R) also vetoed the legislation -- an action her Democratically controlled state legislature overrode.

But the lack of support from America's Republican governors does not spell disaster for the national popular vote movement.

They need another 220 to achieve a majority and activate the compact. Of the remaining 488 Electoral College votes (538 sans the 50 electors from MD, NJ, IL and HI), 222 are in states that currently have GOP governors -- meaning Democrat lead states with 266 votes.

Then again, there's the x-factor of who controls those state legislatures.