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Politics Today: Does Trump's Endorsement Matter?, Ron Paul Bets On Nevada, And More

Tracy Bloom |
February 2, 2012 | 12:04 p.m. PST

Deputy Editor

Trump Endorses Romney, Does Anyone Care?: In the world of Donald Trump, announcing he is endorsing Mitt Romney for president is yuuuuuuuge news. For the rest of us: probably not so much. In fact, Romney should rethink whether he even wants Trump's endorsement. A Pew Research Center survey conducted last month found that 8 percent of voters would be more likely to vote for a Trump-endorsed candidate, while 24 percent said it would actually make them less likely to vote for the candidate. The vast majority, however - 63 percent - said it would make no difference. Still, despite what voters may think, it makes perfect sense that the billionaire real estate mogul and reality television star would support Romney's presidential bid; after all, they both really like to fire people.

Angle Endorses Santorum: In another less touted endorsement that most people also probably do not care about, former Nevada GOP Senate candidate Sharron Angle (remember her?) has endorsed Rick Santorum. In a statement to the National Review, Angle said: "Rick Santorum and I have known each other for years. He is a strong fiscal and social conservative who stands on principles above politics. He has never wavered in his support for family values understanding the impact that strong families have on a prosperous economy. His continuous opposition to Amnesty, Obamacare, the bailouts, and cap and trade are a perfect fit with our Main Street Tea Party movement." Will Angle's endorsement make a difference in the Nevada caucuses? Probably not.

Polls Show Romney Holds Big Leads In Nevada, Arizona and Michigan: February promises to be a good month for Mitt Romney, Trump endorsement be darned! The latest round of polls show the presumed Republican presidential frontrunner with big leads in three of the upcoming primary states. In Nevada, which is holding it's caucuses this Saturday, Romney is poised for a blowout win, a Las Vegas Review-Journal poll showed. Romney is also poised for big wins in Arizona and Michigan, which holds their primaries at the end of the report, according to two new Rasmussen surveys.

Paul's Nevada Strategy: Saturday's caucuses in Nevada represent a critical test for Ron Paul's presidential campaign. Paul chose to skip the winner-take-all Florida primary in order to focus his efforts in the upcoming caucus states of Nevada, Colorado and Maine. It's all part of Paul's larger strategy to win delegates in states where they awarded proportionally. The results of this strategy could ultimately help make Paul a major force to be reckoned with in the GOP. According to The New York Times, "whether he wins or loses in Saturday’s caucuses, Mr. Paul is likely to be a force to be reckoned with should there be a fractured nominating fight that drags on throughout the spring."

Romney's Gaffes - All In One Place For Your Viewing Pleasure: The Daily Beast has compiled a must watch video compilation of Mitt Romney's "most awkward moments." Relive some of these classics, including the one below where Romney reveals he's also unemployed:



 

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