1.  Mike Huckabee leads in a new poll for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.

The Washington Post-ABC survey found Huckabee was preferred by Republicans and Republican-leaning independents over Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin, and Newt Gingrich.

The exact results for the top tier contenders were:

Huckabee      26%
Romney        21%
Palin             19%
Gingrich         10%

They were followed by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who came in at 4%; former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who had 3%; and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, with 1%.

The poll did not ask about Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindall, but 2% of respondents volunteered their support for him.  Also, 2% volunteered that they supported other miscellaneous candidates, 5% said they would not support any of the persons named, and 6% had no opinion.

Palin had a strong lead in previous presidential polls, but her resignation as Governor of Alaska seems to have cost her some support.

2.  The Washington Post-ABC poll produced very similar results to a recent Gallup Poll, which found that twice as many people consider themselves to be conservatives as liberals.

The two poll results were:

Washington Post-ABC

Conservatives          38%
Liberals                   20%
Moderates               39%
Other/Unsure           3%

Gallup Poll

Conservatives          40%
Liberals                   21%
Moderates               35%
Other/Unsure           4%

3. In the latest Rasmussen Poll, Republicans continue to lead for Congress 42% to 39%.  

For the fifth straight week, voters have indicated that they might hand control of the House of Representatives to the GOP.             

McClatchy Newspapers reported on the results of a new Battleground Poll for George Washington University by Democratic pollster Celinda Lake and Republican pollster Ed Goeas, which found growing public dissatisfaction with President Obama and the Democrats in Congress.

Lake said, "There are warning signs for Democrats heading into 2010."  Goeas said there were signs of a shifting landscape that could help Republicans.

Among independents, Obama's job approval dropped to 42%.  Of the 50% who disapproved, most of these strongly denounced the President's performance.  And 76% of independents said Obama is spending too much money.

4.  Despite the polls, the website CQ states that Democrats look secure in both and House and Senate and might even gain seats in the 2010 elections.

An analysis of each House district shows the Democrats could pick up three seats with three more rated as toss-ups.

A separate analysis of all Senate races points to continued Democratic dominance of the upper chamber, with seven seats considered to be toss-ups.