Following a strong second-place showing in the Iowa Republican straw poll in August, the campaign team behind U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, now making his second bid for the Republican presidential nomination and his third attempt at the White House, focused on the Hawkeye State this week.

Iowa will hold its caucus Jan. 3 to kick off the procession of states that will determine the Republican nominee to challenge President Barack Obama in 2012.

With five weeks to go until Iowa voters take part in the nation's first caucus, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich is surging in polls of the early states that will shape the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Gingrich is leading two new polls of Iowa released Tuesday.

Two top Florida Republicans announced Tuesday they will enjoy part of the limelight on the national political stage as the 2012 elections approach.

On Tuesday, almost 18 years to the day the National Football League announced that Jacksonville had obtained the 30th franchise, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced the team has a new owner and a new interim coach.

Wayne Weaver, the majority owner of the team, announced that his family has sold its interest to Pakistan-born businessman Shahid Kahn, the owner of Flex-N-Gate. Kahn had tried to buy the St. Louis Rams last year.

Noting that Kahn pledged to keep the team in Jacksonville, Weaver pledged the Jaguars would be there many years into the future.

In a widely expect move, U.S. Rep. Connie Mack announced on Monday night on an appearance on Sean Hannitys show on Fox News that he was entering the Republican primary to challenge Democrat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.

Mack talked to the media on Tuesday morning to explain why he was running. The congressman took a pass at jumping in the race earlier in the year, throwing his support behind state Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island. When Haridopolos dropped out of the race, Mack rethought his decision and entered the race.

In a widely expected move, U.S. Rep. Connie Mack announced on Monday night, on an appearance on Sean Hannitys show on Fox News, that he was entering the Republican primary to challenge Democrat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.

Mack talked to the media on Tuesday morning to explain why he is running.

The congressman took a pass at jumping in the race earlier in the year, throwing his support behind state Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island. When Haridopolos dropped out of the race, Mack rethought his decision and entered the race.

Republican presidential hopeful former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts on Tuesday unveiled the endorsements of three prominent Cuban-American politicians based in South Florida: U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz Balart and his brother former U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart. Romney named the three of them as foreign-policy advisers to his campaign and as part of his Latin American Working Group.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) launched an all out assault on Republican presidential hopeful former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts on Monday.

The DNC launched a new television ad bashing Romney for alleged inconsistencies and unveiled a website hammering the Republican on the same theme. The ad is being run in five crucial states in the general election -- New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.