All eyes will be on Washington this weekend when the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) meets and conducts its Republican presidential nomination straw poll.

While his name has generated a good deal of buzz, especially since the November elections, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said before Christmas he is more focused on running the Lone Star State and the Republican Governors Association rather than launching a bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

Public Policy Polling, a firm with ties to Democrats, released a poll this week that showed President Barack Obama maintaining a healthy lead in Minnesota over possible Republican candidates.

While international affairs has not been one of the chief hallmarks of either his presidential bid in 2008 or the efforts he has been making to run for the Republican presidential nomination again in 2012, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney took aim at one of President Barack Obama’s major foreign initiatives.

An unexpected figure has recently emerged as a possible candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.