Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, the front-runner for the Republican presidential notification in 2012, announced on Thursday that his campaign would not take part in straw polls, including one in Orlando in September. The team behind former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah, who has expressed interest in entering the primaries but has yet to formally announce his candidacy, insisted their candidate would enter the Florida straw poll if he runs.

Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, the front-runner for the Republican presidential notification in 2012, announced on Thursday that his campaign would not take part in straw polls being set up in Florida, Iowa and Michigan. Arguing that the event helped propel Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole to the partys nomination, the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) is hosting the Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando in September.

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich continues to stumble in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. His senior staff -- from his campaign manager to his communications director to his chief strategists -- jumped off the Gingrich bandwagon on Thursday afternoon. With some of Gingrichs former staffers having close ties to Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, speculation has been renewed that Perry may be looking at getting into the race.

The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) unveiled their report cards on Thursday for legislators for the 2011 session. Looking at a number of pieces of legislation ranging from reforming property insurance, to performance pay for teachers, Medicaid and the state pension system, AIF handed out grades to the senators and representatives -- giving high marks to Senate Budget Committee Chairman J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, and Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne among others. The grades can be found at AIF's site.

While the candidates in the Republican primary to take on U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson are starting to take off the gloves against each other, former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux took aim at the Democratic incumbent on Wednesday.

Politico reported on Wednesday that 12 Republican U.S. senators -- including John McCain of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine and Chuck Grassley of Iowa -- will be holding a fund-raiser for former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux later in the month.

Phil Handy, who headed Jeb Bushs gubernatorial bids as campaign chairman in 1994 and 1998 and as campaign co-chairman in 2002 and was state chairman for John McCains presidential bid in 2008, is leading former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlentys efforts in Florida for his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.

Handy sent out an e-mail to supporters on Tuesday, arguing that Pawlenty was making strides in the Sunshine State.

John Winn, who previously served as Florida education commissioner, was once again tapped to head up the state's education system Wednesday, this time on an interim basis.

The state Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint Winn, who served as commissioner from 2004 to 2007. He has resigned his position as chief program officer for the National Math and Science Initiative, and will begin work Monday.

Former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, now running in a crowded Republican primary to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, came out swinging against the federal health-care law backed by President Barack Obama. On Wednesday morning, noting that oral arguments would begin in the constitutional challenge launched by Florida and other states against the law, Hasner insisted the health-care law was undermining economic recovery.

While there were problems between the two chambers in the dying moments of the 2011 legislative session, state House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, backed his Senate counterpart, President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012. Earlier in the year, Cannon offered strong words of support for Haridopolos and officially endorsed him on Tuesday.