With Eric Holder's Thursday announcement he was stepping down as attorney general, speculation immediately began about who will replace him and when.

The 82nd attorney general, and the first African-American to serve in the post, he is one of only three cabinet holdovers from President Obama's first days in 2009. Holder first fueled speculation he would step down in February and initially said this week he would stay in his post through the end of 2014.

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However, Justice Department sources changed that timeline following the resignation announcement saying he would stay until a successor was named and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Considering the nature of contentious U.S. politics these days, that may take a while.

President Obama is "a long way" yet from naming Holder's successor, according to a senior White House official.

Prominently named successor possibilities included former White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, Donald Verrilli, U.S. solicitor general, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. U.S. attorney in Brooklyn Loretta Lynch and Rhode Island U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse also have been named as potential successors.

Other possibilities include Preet Bharara, a top U.S. district attorney at New York City, who could become the first Asian-American to be attorney general, and California attorney general Kamala Harris, who would be first African-American woman in the job.

Former Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano has been named as a possible nominee. She now heads the University of California system and previously has expressed interest in the job. Mary Jo White, a former U.S. attorney in New York who is in charge of the Securities and exchange Commission also may be a possibility.

Patrick may be a frontrunner. He had been a prominent candidate for the post at the time Holder was named. He also went to Washington D.C. on Thursday on unspecified business. However, he told reporters that naming a Holder successor was important, but "it's not for me right now."

Considering the split in Congress between Democrats and Republicans, the nomination process might be thorny. Republicans have been upset at Holder's political leanings and may express that frustration by holding up the new nominee's confirmation.

Some analysts said they believed Obama may go for a candidate who can get through Senate confirmation procedures with less contentious debate. That may give Verrilli, second in command at the Justice Department, a boost.

TagsEric Holder, Attorney General, Justice Department, President Obama, U.S. Senate, Democrats, Republicans, Kathryn Ruemmler, Deval Patrick, Donald Verrilli, Janet Napolitano