Having placed a strong second in the Iowa Republican straw poll, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas continues to build in the Hawkeye State, which will hold the first presidential caucus. Paul toured Clinton, Dubuque and Muscatine on Tuesday and his campaign pointed to the fact that all of the events brought out more than 150 supporters each.

The infighting between the two leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination -- Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts -- continued this week as the two sides kept up their attacks on each other.

The Perry team released the latest in a series of Web videos on Wednesday, attacking Romney for shifting positions on backing the federal stimulus enacted by President Barack Obama.

Having placed dead last in the Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando on Saturday, the team behind Minnesota U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmanns presidential campaign is regrouping and continuing to insist their candidate can win the Republican nomination.

After her poor showing in Orlando, Bachmann headed back to Iowa --the home of the first presidential caucus --on Monday. Having won the Iowa Republican straw poll in Ames last month, Bachmanns team left no doubt that her presidential ambitions rested on the Hawkeye State.

On Wednesday morning, former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner announced that three state legislators from the First Coast were backing his bid for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012. Hasners team sent out a statement announcing they had garnered the backing of Rep. Daniel Davis, R-Jacksonville, Rep. Lake Ray, R-Jacksonville, and Rep. Mike Weinstein, R-Orange Park.

Sunshine State News is hitting the radio airwaves on Tuesday at 3 pm. Fresh from my appearance on Washington Journal on C-SPAN on Sunday, I will be on the Ed Dean radio show which is hosted by one of the most feisty, informative and entertaining conservatives in Florida. It can be heard online here and on two stations in South Florida.

Supporters of Republican presidential candidate U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas trumpeted a poll from Rasmussen Reports last month that their candidate was in a dead heat with President Barack Obama -- but a poll released by Rasmussen on Tuesday found the president beating Paul by a healthy margin.

Craig Miller, the former CEO of Ruth's Chris, continues to play up his experience in the business community as he continues his bid for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.

On Tuesday, after finishing third place in the Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando, former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, one of the leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, unveiled his team to lead his efforts in the Sunshine State.

This is the team that will beat President Obama in Florida, said Katie Packer Gage, Romneys deputy campaign manager, in a statement released on Tuesday morning. This team will be critical as Mitt Romney campaigns across Florida spreading his pro-growth message and working to bring jobs back to the state.

The team behind former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts took aim at their chief competitor for the Republican presidential nomination -- Gov. Rick Perry of Texas -- in a web ad released on Monday. The ad welcomes Perry to Maryland and hammers the Texas governor on immigration, featuring a clip of Democratic Gov. Martin OMalley praising his record on the subject.

Former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner has reached the big-time in his bid for the Republican nomination. Not only did he win the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) straw poll on Friday, Hasners now drawn fire from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC).

The DSCC released a statement on Monday bashing Hasner and Republican primary rival former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux.