American Research Group 2012 Florida GOP Presidential Primary Poll

• Newt Gingrich 50%
• Mitt Romney 19%
• Herman Cain 10%
• Jon Huntsman 3%
• Ron Paul 2%
• Rick Perry 2%
• Michele Bachmann 1%
• Rick Santorum 1%
• Buddy Roemer 1%

Sample Size: 600 completed telephone interviews among a random sample of likely Republican primary voters living in Florida (564 Republicans and 36 no party voters (independents). Sample Dates: November 27-30, 2011. Margin of Error: ± 4 percentage points, 95% of the time, on questions where opinion is evenly split.

Add Sen. Tom Harkin to the rapidly growing list of Democrats who are begging the Republicans to nominate Newt Gingrich:

“I was in the House with Newt, as a matter of fact, years ago. I can remember him being a bomb thrower at that time. One of those people always lobbing things around. I thought at that time, in his early career in the House, he was irresponsible at that time. I kind of got to know Newt later on, (he’s an) intriguing individual, but perhaps I’ve never met a more undisciplined person in politics in my life and if you’re going to run for president, you have to have discipline. Believe me, I speak from experience on that one and if you’re going to be president you have to have some discipline in how you approach things and how you assess situations.

Newt has never been one to engage mind before opening mouth. He engages mouth before engaging his mind sometimes, most of the time. That doesn’t bode well for him at all. I think there’s some, what I’m picking up around here is there’s a lot of quiet, silent cheering in the Obama Administration and the Obama campaign for Newt to get the nomination. It would be just be heaven-sent if he got the nomination.”

Emphasis added.

Romney has laid out several more endorsements this morning, including Peter Bragdon, Senate President. Bragdon is the ninth NH state senator to endorse Romney, including the Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley.

From the state of Missouri, Romney released a list of twenty-eight endorsements, including the Speaker of the House and thirteen additional state legislators.

“The Right Answer,” the economy- and business-focused ad by the Romney campaign that originally began airing in New Hampshire this week, has made the trip over to the Hawkeye State where it will be Romney’s first foray into the paid media markets there. No word yet on the amount of the buy, but this would be the clearest indication yet that Romney is indeed playing to win Iowa.

It’s December. Time to shift into high gear as the voters fully engage with the race.

Oh, and Romney has dispatched Chris Christie to campaign for him in Iowa on December 7th.