Here are ten things you need to know today.
- Poll gives Obama 50% approval rating: For the first time since May 2011, the CNN/ORC Poll has Obama’s national approval rate at 50%, his disapproval is at 48%. Conversely, Republican leaders in Congress got 22% approval; Democratic leaders in Congress got 31%.
- Obama leads in Michigan by double digits: While Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney fight over Michigan, it seems Obama could easily beat them both there. A new survey from Public Policy Polling (D) gives Obama a 16-point lead over Romney, which in previous polls was a 4 to 7 point lead. It’s an indication that the improving economy is helping Obama while Romney’s own favorability has taken a hit. Santorum trails Obama by 11 points. Obama also leads Romney in New Hampshire, considered a toss-up state in 2012, by 8 percentage points.
- MI Gov. Snyder To Endorse Romney: Mutliple reports indicate that Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder will endorse Mitt Romney. Snyder’s backing is a sign that the Michigan establishment will stay behind Romney as the primary approaches. But even though Romney enjoyed the support of South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R), he lost the state’s primary to Newt Gingrich.
- Santorum Super PAC readies big buy in Michigan: The Red White and Blue Fund, the Super PAC behind Rick Santorum, is readying a big ad buy in Michigan, where polls show Santorum is in the lead though vastly outspent on the airwaves. TPM confirmed Wednesday that the Super PAC will be announcing details of the buy and that they won’t let attacks from the Romney camp “go unanswered.”
- Santorum paid about a 30% tax rate: At long last, Rick Santorum has released his tax returns. Politico obtained four years of tax returns, from 2007 to 2010: “the Santorums’ adjusted gross income went from about $659,000 in 2007, his first year out of the Senate, to $952,000 in 2008, to $1.1 million in 2009 and about $923,000 in 2010.They paid about $167,000 in taxes in 2007, about $262,000 in 2008, $310,000 in 2009, and $263,000 in 2010.” That comes out to about a 29% effective tax rate in his best years, and 25% in his worse years.
- EMILY’s List endorses Kathleen Falk in Wisconsin Recall Election: EMILY’s List, the PAC that raises millions to support pro-choice, Democratic women candidates, will endorse Kathleen Falk for Wisconsin governor Thursday. Falk is running against Gov. Scott Walker in his likely recall election. The group, which raises millions, will use its networks from previous Wisconsin races as well as resources to put Falk in the office of governor and oust Walker.
- Warren fundraises off of Brown’s opposition to contraception coverage: Senate hopeful Elizabeth Warren began raising money off of the fight over contraception in Congress. In an email to supporters, she attacked incumbent Scott Brown for supporting the Blunt Amendment which would allow any organization to use a moral objection as a reason to refuse to cover a certain treatment or procedure. Warren dubs the bill “an attack on every one of us.”
- Cain and Gingrich to campaign together: Herman Cain will hit the campaign trail alongside Newt Gingrich in Georgia this weekend, reports the Atlanta Constitution Journal. Georgia is the Super Tuesday state with the most delegates. It is also Gingrich’s home state. Before then, Gingrich will be in California Thursday and hold a rally in Georgia on Friday.
- Romney campaigns in MI, OH, and ID: Mitt Romney will spend Thursday in Michigan, Thursday night in Ohio, and Friday in Idaho. In Ohio, Democrats will welcome him with a conference call on his “failed Approach to Housing Crisis.”
- Santorum finally arrives in Michigan: Rick Santorum has been moving from west to east and is finally in Michigan today. At 12:30pm, he will give a speech at the Detroit Economic Club.
