After 10 Glorious Years, Sunshine State News and I Are Passing the Baton

According to Public Policy Polling, a firm with connections to prominent national Democrats, businessman Herman Cain has jumped ahead of former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts to lead the pack of hopefuls for the Republican presidential nomination. PPP released a national poll on Wednesday showing Cain with 30 percent and Romney trailing with 22 percent. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich was barely leading Texas Gov. Rick Perry for third place, taking 15 percent with the governor of the Lone Star State right behind him at 14 percent.

Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts announced the endorsements of prominent Republican leaders on Wednesday as the likes of former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert backed the front-runner for their partys presidential nomination. Hastert -- along with longtime U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert of Illinois and former U.S. Rep. Susan Molinari of New York -- came out praising Romney on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, former U.S. Sen. Rick Sanorum of Pennsylvania named Mike Biundo, a veteran New Hampshire Republican operative as his national campaign manager. Biundo, who had been very active in Pat Buchanans presidential bid in 1996 when the conservative commentator upset Bob Dole to win the nations first presidential primary in the Granite State, had been serving as Santorums political director, advising the former senator on New Hampshire politics.