Many of the myriadRepublican presidential campaigns are starting their race for the Oval Office at the beginning, but President Barack Obama looked to skip to the finish line Monday.

As GOP candidates took part in the second presidential primary debate in New Hampshire, a key early primary state, Obama swept through Miami and Puerto Rico Monday, looking to solidify Florida --one of the essential states in the 2012 general election.

Before heading to Miami for a fundraiser, Obama began Monday in North Carolina, a normally red state that he barely won in 2008.

CNN and Opinion Research Corp. released a poll on Monday showing that former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, who made his debate debut that night with Republican primary rivals, remained the favorite to take on President Barack Obama in 2012.

With former Gov. Mitt Romney ahead in the polls in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota turned up the heat on the front-runner before the candidates debate on Monday night.

Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Pawlenty hammered Romney for setting the stage for the federal health-care backed by President Barack Obama.

Florida Democrats, salivating over the governors sorry 29 percent approval rate, had a high old time in Hollywood during the weekend, dancing like Ya-Yas around Rick Scotts bones.

Win a second term? They dont think Scott has a prayer.

I'm told the Dems Jefferson-Jackson fund-raising dinner was energized. Everybody was talking about candidates who might challenge Scott. The list included the veteran cast you would expect -- Alex Sink, Jeremy Ring, Rod Smith, Dan Gelber -- plus, of course, the notable inside-outsider, the Ghost of Christmas Past, Charlie Crist.

The House of Representatives was out of session this past week. Members are continuing to operate under this Congresss new work schedule where they work in D.C. for two straight weeks, then return to their districts and work from their local offices for a week.

When it comes to the effort to re-elect President Barack Obama, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick had a simple message to Florida Democrats at their annual Jefferson-Jackson fundraising dinner Saturday night: Get involved.

Im in for 2012, Patrick told the crowd.

Some are also wondering if Patrick, who has traveled to three swing states in recent months, might be in the race for 2016 in a different role. And his appearance in perhaps the largest swing state in presidential politics served as something of a rehearsal if he were to make that transition.

Exit Newt Gingrich. Well, not quite yet, officially. On his Facebook page, Gingrich says he will endure "the rigors of campaigning for public office" and "will carry the message of American renewal to every part of this great land, whatever it takes."