Former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, the front-runner for the Republican presidential notification in 2012, announced late Thursday that his campaign will 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.

A poll released by Fox News late Wednesday revealed that former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts was leading the Republican pack looking to defeat President Barack Obama -- but former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani did best against the Democratic incumbent in general election match-ups.

The poll was taken by both Anderson Robbins Research and Shaw & Company Research.

Abortion opponent Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue and known to Floridians for his role in the Teri Schiavo case and his challenge of Jim King in a First Coast state Senate race, will campaign in Iowa this week. He plans to launch television ads in the Hawkeye State, attempting to raise the profile of his underdog bid to knock off President Barack Obama in the Democratic primaries.

Software company owner Ron Rushing is an underdog in the 2012 U.S. Senate race. But the Windermere Republican is looking to gain some attention by standing strong for conservative principles.