We’ve seen the last of the debates ahead of the January 31st Florida primary. Here are ten things you need to know today.
- Quinnipiac Poll at 8 A.M.: A new Quinnipiac Poll of the Florida GOP race is out Friday morning and shows a nine point lead for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Initial polling of the race in the Sunshine State showed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with a huge bump from his win in South Carolina — but as the week has gone on Romney has moved back into a healthy lead — the TPM Poll Average now shows the former governor with a 9.3 percent lead.
- Santorum hits Romney hard on Mass. health care law: In one of the most spirited exchanges from last night’s Republican debate on CNN, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum hit Romney where it hurts — the Massachusetts health care reform bill that he signed during his tenure as governor. Santorum said that the law so clearly resembled the federal reform that were Romney to be the nominee it would essentially cede the issue during a year when polling shows many Americans remain skeptical about the new law.
- Romney faults Gingrich on not respecting Reagan: The Romney campaign will hold a conference call with former Reagan officials on Friday morning to attack him for not respecting the former president, a revered figure in Republican circles. On the call will be Ambassador Gerald Carmen, Ambassador Rich Williamson, former Secretary of the Navy John Lehman, and former Under Secretary of Defense Dov Zakheim.
- McCaskill has $5 million to start campaign in Missouri: Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) has raised $1.4 million in this last quarter and starts her campaign for re-election with nearly $5 million in the bank, according to a tweet from McCaskill campaign manager Adrianne Marsh. There is a contested primary on the Republican side. Expect the Missouri races to be among the bigger battles on the Senate side in 2012.
- Pro-Gingrich super PAC goes live with ‘Blood Money’ ad: Pro-Gingrich super PAC Winning Our Future has gone live with a new ad that brings home the key Gingrich attacks on Romney, including a hit on Romney’s tenure as a board member of the Damon Corporation, which was found to have defrauded Medicare of millions. Watch it here.
- Rep. Paulsen endorses Romney: Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN), a conservative star in Minnesota, has endorsed Romney. The Minnesota caucuses are set for February 7th, and Gingrich has the support of the right wing of the state at the moment, which gave him a wide lead in the latest polling. But a disappointing result in Florida might turn Gingrich’s fortunes there.
- Republicans hit Obama ahead of Michigan stops: Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and Michigan Republican Party Chairman Bobby Schostak will hold a conference call Friday morning to hit President Obama ahead of his stop in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The president is there to speak about the cost of college education. Obama supported and helped pass a bill in 2009 that restructured federal aid to college students and recently issued an executive order that sped up some of the provisions that make repayment more favorable to recent graduates.
- PPP says Erskine Bowles provides Democrats a chance to retain the NC Governor’s Mansion: North Carolina Carolina pollster Public Policy Polling (D) came out with some analysis after the announcement that NC Gov. Bev Perdue (D) will not seek re-election, saying that former White House chief-of-staff to President Clinton and businessman Erskine Bowles would be the best candidate to run for Democrats. “Democrats don’t need Erskine Bowles to run to have a chance this fall,” PPP wrote “[Likely Republican candidate] Pat McCrory’s embrace of an unpopular Legislature that has made deep cuts to education will ensure that any candidate has a fighting shot. But Bowles would be the strongest candidate.” Reports also say that Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC), who just announced his retirement from the House, is weighing a run.
- Ron Paul campaigns in Maine: Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) has essentially skipped Florida, a massive state that favors more mainstream GOP candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. It seems that’s why Paul boarded a flight from the site of the GOP debate last night in Jacksonville and headed up to Maine to campaign before their caucuses, which take place over two weekends: February 4th and 11th. Paul will make stops in Bangor, Waterville, and Lewiston, the three largest cities in the state outside the liberal mecca of Portland.
- Gingrich campaigns for Hispanic, Jewish votes: Gingrich is touring south Florida today, going after two key voting blocs in the state — Hispanic and Jewish voters. He’ll speak to the Latin Builders Association conference and the Hispanic Leadership Network’s luncheon in Miami before hitting a Republican Jewish Coalition rally in Delray Beach and then attending a fundraiser in Palm Beach Friday night.
