With Republican presidential hopeful former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts in Tallahassee on Wednesday, three future leaders of the Florida House -- incoming House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, Rep. Chris Dorworth, R-Lake Mary, and Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Trinity -- announced they were backing him. All three had been behind former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota who pulled out of the race back in August.

A national CBS News poll released late Tuesday found that businessman Herman Cain, who won the Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando last month, has moved up dramatically in the last two weeks and is now tied with former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts to lead the pack of presidential hopefuls. Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who led a CBS News poll from two weeks ago, has dropped to third place.

Republican presidential hopeful Gov. Rick Perry of Texas announced on Wednesday that his presidential campaign brought in more than $17 million during the seven weeks he was an active candidate in the third quarter of 2011. From Aug. 13, the day Perry announced he was running, until Sept. 30, more than 22,000 supporters -- 49 percent of them from the Lone Star State -- contributed to the Perry campaign. The Perry team announced that they had $15 million on hand.

On Wednesday morning, state Rep. Eric Eisnaugle, R-Orlando, one of the leading conservatives in the Florida House of Representatives, announced that he was backing his former caucus leader -- former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner -- for the Republican nomination to challenge Democrat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.

Eisnaugle, whose wife Carrie is the president of Florida Right-to-Life, praised Hasners conservative stances on social and economic issues.

Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Chairman Lenny Curry named Mike Grissom to serve as the RPOFs executive director on Tuesday.

Mike brings a wealth of political experience to the RPOF, said Curry. As deputy executive director, Mike worked alongside Andy Palmer to lay the groundwork for the partys 2012 victory plan and played an integral role in the planning and execution of Presidency 5. I am confident that his experience in that position will ensure a speedy and seamless transition.

On Tuesday, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland bashed U.S. Senate Majority Harry Reid, D-Nev., and the Democrats controlling the Senate for not passing a yearly budget in 888 days.

A national poll released by Quinnipiac University found former Gov. Mitt Romney leading the pack of Republican presidential hopefuls -- with businessman Herman Cain brushing past Texas Gov. Rick Perry for second place.

The poll found that Romney topped the field with 22 percent. Cain, who has surged in polls at the state and national level since winning the Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando last month, took second with 17 percent, followed by Perry with 14 percent.

On Tuesday, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey announced that he would not enter the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Speaking at a news conference in Trenton on Tuesday afternoon, the governor of the Garden State reiterated his desire to stay out of the race.

My job here in New Jersey is my passion, said Christie, who said he did seriously consider entering the contest. I have a commitment to New Jersey that I simply cant abandon.

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas will be focusing on two of the crucial early states as he continues his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

Paul will be speaking to the National Press Club in Washington on Wednesday before heading to North Carolina on Friday. After speaking to the Values Voter Summit in Washington on Saturday, Paul will head to Iowa -- home of the first presidential caucus -- on Mondayand New Hampshire -- which hosts the first primary -- for the debate next Tuesday.

Republican presidential candidate former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts announced on Tuesday that Phil Handy would be joining his team as co-chair of his Florida Advisory Committee and of his National Education Policy Committee.

I am pleased to earn the support of Phil Handy, said Romney in a statement. Phil will be critical to my campaign in Florida and will be a trusted adviser on education policy. I look forward to working with him as I reach out to voters in Florida and across the country.