After key wins in NJ and VA, GOP 2012 candidates step it up early

Building on fresh wins in New Jersey and in Virginia, Republicans are stepping up their criticism of President Obama's policies and letting loose their potential 2012 challengers.

With two new GOP governors in New Jersey and in Virginia, it seems that the 2012 presidential race has begun - at least among the Republican challengers. Against the backdrop of the $1 trillion House health care bill, the GOP appears to have moved into a notable new gear. Minnesota Governor Jim Pawlenty spoke at an Iowa fundraiser - his first speaking engagement in the state, and a testament to his commitment as a potential Republican presidential frontrunner. Pawlenty's criticism of the Obama administration and the administration's policies was focused squarely on the economy. “They should be focused like a laser on jobs, not acting like a manure-spreader in a wind storm,” Pawlenty said. Meanwhile, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney continued his criticism of the $787 billion Democratic stimulus plan, keeping the pressure on the fiscal issues that Republicans believe matter most to the American voter. “You have to recognize that the stimulus that the president and Congress passed is not what’s helped this economy,” Romney said on CBS' "The Early Show." Not to be outdone, former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich - also considered a GOP pick to challenge Obama in 2012 - used an opportunity in Naples to slam Democratic policies, tying America's stimulus package to the global economy and to China in particular. “The Chinese don’t have a stimulus package. They have an investment package,” Gingrich said. “China is not a national security threat to us unless we are incompetent.” While it is unclear which Republicans will run for the 2012 presidential contest, it appears that the season has already begun.