Palin's absence on the stump presents a major opportunity for Rep. Michele Bachmann, who relishes the anti-establishment mantle.

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Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer will help lead a Republican National Committee effort to adjust and refine the party's national message heading into 2012.

Fleischer, who served as press secretary to former President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003, is set to steer the committee's "communicators group," according to an email from RNC Communications Director Sean Spicer.

The RNC is planning monthly conference calls with a group of GOP communications pros to discuss strengths and weaknesses of the party's messaging and disseminate ideas.

"As we enter a key presidential cycle at the RNC, we are putting together a group of top notch communicators inside and outside the beltway," Spicer wrote in an email to GOP insiders that went out Sunday night. "I am pleased to announce that former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer has agreed to help lead this group."

The RNC is holding its first call Tuesday morning, which will include Fleischer and Republican pollster Glen Bolger. It comes just a day after President Obama announced his reelection campaign with a video message to supporters.

Under former Chairman Michael Steele, the RNC's 2010 performance was widely panned despite a strong election cycle for Republicans nationally. New Chairman Reince Priebus has pledged to regain the trust of major donors and is working to rebuild the committee's political infrastructure.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is the latest potential 2012 presidential hopeful to sign on to speak at social conservative leader Ralph Reed's June conference in Washington, D.C.

Reed's Faith and Freedom Coalition touted Paul as a "Tea Party Champion" in announcing his participation on its website Monday.

The first term senator joins three other rumored GOP hopefuls -- Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.), former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.) and former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) -- for the June event.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee are among the other potential candidates who have been invited to speak at the gathering. 

Paul has been traveling to the early presidential primary states and has said he will consider a run in 2012 should his father -- Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) -- decide against one. 

In an interview with Radio Iowa over the weekend, Paul said his short time in the upper chamber wouldn't hold him back if he decided to make a run for the nomination next year.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney called President Obama "inexperienced and naïve" in light of the administration's reversal on military trials for suspected terrorists.

“An inexperienced and naïve president has finally reversed himself on Guantanamo and terrorist trials; let’s hope he sees the light on his other flawed policies," Romney said in a statement.

Romney, a possible GOP presidential candidate, hammered Obama after Attorney General Eric Holder announced that top suspected terrorists, like alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, wouldn't be tried in civilian courts on U.S. soil, as was initially planned.

Suspects will instead face trials before military tribunals in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Venura said he'd consider running on a national ticket with Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas).

Paul, who sought the GOP presidential nomination in 2008, said last week that he will make a final decision on a 2012 White House bid "within a couple of months."

During an interview on "Good Morning America" Thursday, Ventura said he'd "give great consideration" to being Paul's vice presidential nominee, but only if Paul ran as an independent.

"I will not be a Democrat or Republican. They are the problem, not the solution. We need to abolish political parties in this country," he said.

Paul ran for president as a libertarian in 1988. Ventura, a former professional wrestler, served as governor from 1999-2003.

Ventura appeared promoting his new book, 63 Documents the Government Doesn't Want You to Read. He's also slated to go on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight" on Monday.

Arizona Rep. Jeff Flake (R) announced Monday he raised more than $1 million in the first quarter of 2011 for his nascent Senate bid.

Flake declared on Valentine's Day he would seek the seat being vacated by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.). Combined with the money he had in his House account, Flake now has some $1.5 million banked for his Senate run, according to his campaign.

"Our tremendous finance committee includes most of Arizona's hardest-working Republicans, and we couldn't be happier with the strong showing we've received from all over the country," Flake said in a statement. "I'm very grateful to all who have shown their early support. This campaign is off to a great start."

At the moment, Flake has a clear shot at the GOP nomination. Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), who was mulling a bid, announced Friday he wouldn't make a run. That leaves just former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) as a potential primary rival for Flake.

Two conservative heavyweights in Congress will travel to New Hampshire later this month to headline a political event in the key early primary state.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) will deliver keynote addresses at the April 30 "First in the Nation Freedom Forum," an event sponsored by We The People, a right-wing nonprofit group.

According to the group's president, Jennifer Horn, the event will feature three "top tier" candidates, but she would not reveal their names.

The announcement comes as the presidential campaign is heating up: President Obama officially announced his reelection campaign Monday morning, and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty became the first potential GOP candidate to form an exploratory committee late last month.

Horn, a New Hampshire-based political activist, said the group plans to host hundreds of activists at the event, who will be able to interact with the candidates and lawmakers.

"I'm excited about the grassroots movement in New Hampshire that will help save our country from massive spending, bailouts, and debt that are destroying it," DeMint said in a statement.

DeMint and King both played major roles during the 2010 campaign season, appealing to Tea Party activists and offering political support to their favored candidates. They appear to be ready to reprise those roles in 2012. 

Some observers had speculated that DeMint could run for president, but he ruled out a run last month. 

Being from Iowa, another key early primary state, King is looking to become a conservative power-broker as well in 2012. He hosted a political forum in the Hawkeye State late last month, which drew several potential candidates as well as DeMint.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's (R-Ga.) camp blasted President Obama's reelection announcement Monday, highlighting the potential for Obama to raise upwards of $1 billion for his 2012 race.

"With their announced goal of raising a billion dollars in order to drown out their opposition, one thing is certain: it begins and ends with political extortion," Gingrich spokesman Rick Tyler said in a statement reacting to Obama's announcement.

The president made his bid for a second term official early in the day, distributing a video message to supporters.

In the video, titled "It begins with us," a series of Obama supporters talk about the need for a second term for the incumbent Democrat. In an accompanying email message, Obama wrote, "Today, we are filing papers to launch our 2012 campaign ... [E]ven though I'm focused on the job you elected me to do, and the race may not reach full speed for a year or more, the work of laying the foundation for our campaign must start today."

The former House speaker is the latest rumored 2012 hopeful to react to Obama's online reelection announcement Monday.

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty released a video of his own earlier in the day, highlighting the economic downturn and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney tweeted, "@barackobama I look forward to hearing details on your jobs plan, as are 14m unemployed Americans."

Once Obama files with the Federal Election Commission, his 2012 fundraising efforts can begin in earnest. Both Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have met in recent weeks with supporters at events billed as non-fundraisers that have hosted a number of top donors whose financial support is likely to come quickly to the campaign.

In addition, the president has a major fundraiser scheduled for mid-April in Chicago, which could bring in millions for his campaign.

-Michael O'Brien contributed to this report.

Texas Republican Tom Leppert said he's had "positive conversations" about his Senate bid with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), but didn't seek his endorsement.

The former mayor of Dallas is one of several candidates vying to succeed Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas). The GOP primary is expected to be an expensive, bruising contest, which could give Democrats an edge in the open-seat race, if they can get behind a candidate early. For now, it appears the National Republican Senatorial Committee will remain on the sidelines during the primary.

Leppert said he's talked to Cornyn, who heads the NRSC, but didn't solicit his backing. "We've had real positive conversations on my running, but I have not asked him" for an endorsement, he told The Ballot Box.

Leppert also noted he's been in contact with staff at the NRSC, who indicated the committee will stay neutral in the race.

"I've met [NRSC executive director] Rob Jesmer and visited with him," he said. "My indication was they would stay out, through the primary. Of course, they're going to be very supportive of the nominee for the Republican Party."

Leppert faces former Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, former solicitor general Ted Cruz, former Secretary of State Roger Williams and Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones in the race for the GOP Senate nomination.

In an interview with The Dallas Morning News in February, Leppert predicted he'll meet Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who is expected to join the race later this year, in a two-man runoff after the initial primary vote in March 2012. But the former mayor insisted he wasn't discounting the rest of the field. 

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