As the Republicans took over the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday, prominent politicians looking to be the GOP’s standard bearer in 2012 weighed in on what the new majority should focus on -- and not surprisingly, pointed toward the nation’s sluggish economy.

With 2012 in sight, a dark horse looking at running for the Republican presidential nomination will be heading to New Hampshire for an extended stay next week. Former Gov. Gary Johnson, who served two terms in New Mexico, will travel to the Granite State, site of the first presidential primary, to talk about federal spending and how Congress can reduce it.

A poll from Public Policy Polling (PPP), a firm with connections to national Democrats, shows that Florida Republicans can expect close primary battles in the presidential race as well as the contest to take on Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.

Incoming Gov. Rick Scott Tuesday named retired Army Col. Mike Prendergast as his chief of staff. Prendergast, a Republican who offered a spirited but ultimately unsuccessful challenge to Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, served as an aide to former U.S. Senator Bob Graham and as a legislative liaison in the Secretary of the Army's Office.

Public Policy Polling (PPP), a polling firm with connections to Democrats, released a poll Tuesday that showed Ohio will be a battleground, even though President Barack Obama currently leads the four main candidates for the Republican presidential nod.

With a host of much-better-known Republicans considering running for president in 2012, Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota has been raising his profile in recent days as he reflects on launching his own bid for the White House.

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.

While Gov. Rick Perry of Texas continues to insist he has no interest in running for the Republican presidential nomination, insiders in the Lone Star State aren’t buying it.

Veteran Republican political operative Fred Karger took a large step toward announcing a presidential campaign on Tuesday, unveiling a television commercial and hiring staff in Iowa for a possible longshot bid at the White House. If he runs, Karger will be the first openly gay candidate for a major party’s nomination in American history.

With buzz increasing that he will launch a bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson showed up in Tallahassee Thursday night still touting the trademark libertarian social issues -- legalization of marijuana, for one -- that put him in the minority of the GOP.

For political junkies of a certain age, it was a given that the House of Representatives would always be controlled by Democrats. They won the chamber in 1954 and held on for 40 years -- more than twice as long as any party in American history had before.