Cunningham said he’s focused primarily on his job as county executive, but has spent his free time over the past several months raising money and testing the ‘‘receptivity,’‘ as he put it, ‘‘to a candidate coming out of the Lehigh Valley,’‘ a region unaccustomed to producing statewide leaders.

‘‘It takes a little bit of work of getting into the southeast and Philadelphia and other areas of the state to see if there would be receptivity to a candidacy for me in 2010,’‘ he said.

He’s got a lot of time to make up his mind.

‘‘If in December 2009 there is a pathway to winning the party’s nomination, then I will go forward with it,’‘ he said. ‘‘It is a little like dating. People have to size you up first and decide that they like the way you look.’‘

This week, Cunningham’s trying hard to look his best.