Next year's Congressional elections are getting off to a brisk start in the three Georgia districts where Republicans are stepping down.

So far, no Democrats have declared for any of the races.

There's still more than a year to go before voters head to the polls.

But already, 16 Republicans have launched campaigns for the three open House seats.

Marietta's Phil Gingrey, Athens' Paul Broun and Savannah's Jack Kingston are vacating their seats.

Democratic leaders in these areas say they don't have many established office-holders to recruit.

Lindsay Thomas, a Democrat who served five terms in Congress ending in 1992, says it'll take a strong Democrat to win in Kingston's coastal district.

"There's nothing written in stone about elections," says Thomas. "There's not some oracle out there that says, 'He will be elected or she will be elected or he won't.' It happens in the race."

Gingrey, Broun and Kingston are all stepping down to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by retiring Republican Saxby Chambliss.

Thomas says, he'd be suprised if no Democrat stepped forward before next year's primaries.

"It will take a strong Democratic candidate to be a viable candidate in the 1st District," says Thomas. But it's not just given to the fact there will be a Republican and there's no way a Democrat can be elected."

Gingrey, Broun and Kingston are all stepping down to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by retiring Republican Saxby Chambliss.

Contributors: Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tags: Jack Kingston, Saxby Chambliss, Paul Broun, GPBnews, orlando montoya, phil gringrey, lindsay thomas, congressional elections