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 Minnesota was a battleground state in 2000 and 2004, Obama won there big in 2008. The poll of 949 Minnesota residents found Obama beating former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee by 10 points, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich by 13 points and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin by 18 points. Which Republican does the best against Obama in the North Star State? It’s former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney -- and not outgoing Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Obama led Romney by 5 points in the poll and Pawlenty by 8 points … Speaking of Pawlenty, he kicks off a book tour for his new release “Courage to Stand: An American Story” and will be hitting a number of key states -- including Iowa, New Hampshire and Florida -- to promote it … With his eyes clearly on competing for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania heads back to Iowa on Wednesday and Thursday, making this the eighth time he has visited Iowa this year. He will meet with members of the Quad City Tea Party on Wednesday night …

Consumer advocate and frequent presidential candidate Ralph Nader predicted that Obama would face a challenger in the Democratic primary after agreeing to extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts backed by George W. Bush for all Americans. While Nader said he is open to running yet again for the presidency, he would prefer to see someone else challenge Obama. So far the only Democrat to express serious interest was former U.S. Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska who sought both the Democratic and Libertarian nominations in 2008 ... Obama is clearly looking to reach out and get Democrats behind him on taxes -- and for 2012. Obama met Friday with former President Bill Clinton who found himself in a similar situation to the current president after the 1994 elections … In the meantime, Prof. James K. Galbraith, a vice president of venerable liberal group Americans for Democratic Action, called on progressives to back a third-party candidate instead of Obama in 2012. Galbraith is the son of John Kenneth Galbraith, and like his father is an economics professor …

Roll Call reported that U.S. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota is getting advice from allies in the Beltway on whether or not to seek the Republican presidential nod in 2012. Thune won the praise of a number of leading Washington Republicans -- including U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona and conservative favorite U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina … Asked about which candidates he liked in 2012 in an interview with the Washington Post, the always colorful U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., offered some dark horses for the Republican nomination: Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin … Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton continues to keep the door open to running for the presidency. Bolton touched base on a number of issues in an interview with National Review published on Wednesday …