Tracking the GOP race to 2012

Mike Huckabee leads a poll of Iowa caucus voters; in an interview with Newsmax, Mitt Romney said Sarah Palin is qualified to be president, that the tea partiers will play a significant role in the November elections, but that running third-party candidates would siphon votes from the GOP; Todd Palin's snowmobile racing team is sponsored by Citgo, the retail arm of Venezuala's state-run oil company, against which country Sarah Palin has previously railed; Tim Pawlenty will travel to Orlando Monday for a Republican Governors Association fundraiser; the governor also gave a major interview to Esquire; Rick Santorum is scheduled to speak to the Iowa Christian Alliance tonight, and robocalls have popped up in the Hawkeye State accusing him of being a "pro-life fraud" who backs pro-choice politicians; and Newt Gingrich will keynote the Detroit Regional Chamber's June policy conference.