Governors' grades released by the libertarian Cato Institute are likely to impact the early horse race between potential 2012 GOP presidential contenders. 

Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty both received a top grade of "A" from the think tank and received praise for promoting pro-growth policies and tamping down spending.

"Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota has proposed pro-growth reforms, opposed tax increases, and been a relatively frugal budgeter," Cato wrote. "He has proposed cutting the state's high and uncompetitive corporate franchise tax, and he has repeatedly vetoed giant tax-hike packages passed by the legislature, including increases to gasoline taxes, beer taxes, wine taxes, and income taxes."

Cato called Jindal a "a top-performing governor with regard to both his tax and his spending policies."

Pawlenty has not said if he will enter the 2012 race, but most political observers expect the outgoing governor to join the field. Whether or not Jindal is interested in the race is less clear, but the grades could give both candidates a boost among Republican voters. 

Because the grades were only issued to sitting governors, other potential 2012 candidates such as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) were not included.

Tax and spending issues have come to the forefront during the 2010 midterm campaign season due to the struggling economic recovery. Most Republicans have argued scaling back spending and the size of government is necessary for the economy to thrive.

Democrats have argued the opposite, that government stimulus is needed to spark the economy and urge employers to hire. 

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels also earned a high grade of "B." Cato called Daniels "a fiscal conservative, but he seems to focus more on balancing the state budget than shrinking the size of government."

They criticized his decision to raise taxes on cigarettes to fund healthcare spending and said he has not done enough to lower the state's high corporate tax rate.

Republican Governors Association Chairman Haley Barbour (Miss.), another potential 2012 candidate, received a "C" grade.

"Governor Barbour has a conservative reputation, but his tax and spending record over seven years as governor has not been very conservative," Cato said. "Barbour has proposed some small tax breaks and blocked some tax increases proposed by the legislature, but he has not pushed for pro-growth reforms such as marginal tax rate cuts. Barbour signed into law a tax increase on hospitals in 2008 and a tax increase on cigarettes of 50 cents per pack in 2009."

Cato also hit Barbour for overseeing large increases in the state budget before the recession, but praised him for lowering spending 14 percent this fiscal year.

A new poll out Thursday shows Republican Marco Rubio maintaining his double-digit lead in Florida's three-way Senate contest.

The Quinnipiac poll shows Rubio with a 13-point edge over Gov. Charlie Crist (I). Rubio garners 46 percent of the vote to Crist's 33. Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.) remains stuck in third with 18 percent. 

The findings mirror the result of a slew of polls in the month of September that give Rubio a double-digit lead over his rivals. 

Even though Crist is polling well behind Rubio, the poll found that likely voters still approve of the job he's doing as governor — 51 percent to 43.

"If Gov. Crist winds up losing the race, he may kick himself for giving up his day job in Tallahassee," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac poll.  

Anger at the federal government and opposition to the Democratic leadership in Washington are both factors driving support toward Tea Party favorite Rubio.

A full 48 percent of likely voters told Quinnipiac they are "angry" with the federal government. And by a margin of 53-41 percent, respondents said they want a senator who will oppose the policies of President Obama. 

The survey polled 1,151 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points. 

New York GOP gubernatorial nominee Carl Paladino confronted a reporter Wednesday night at a campaign event, telling him "I'll take you out."

Paladino and New York Post state editor Fred Dicker got into a heated exchange over a story the Post ran about Paladino's child out of wedlock.

The Post reported that Dicker approached Paladino, who is known for his brash style, about allegations he made about Democratic nominee Andrew Cuomo having an extramarital affair during his 13-year-long marriage to Kerry Kennedy. 

Paladino responded by accusing the Post of sending a "goon" to photograph his former mistress and their 10-year-old daughter.

"You send another goon to my daughter's house and I'll take you out, buddy!" Paladino told Dicker.

Paladino's campaign aides reportedly separated the fight, and the Buffalo real estate developer said of Dicker, "f*** him."

Earlier this month, the Tea Party-backed Paladino surprisingly won the GOP primary against former Rep. Rick Lazio. Paladino, a political newcomer, raised eyebrows on the campaign trail after saying he would "take a baseball bat" to the state capital of Albany.

Even though some polls have showed a tight race between Paladino and Cuomo, the state attorney general, Republican political figures have largely steered clear of their nominee's campaign.

VIDEO courtesy of YNN:

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on Wednesday released two new TV ads her campaign says will counter the Tea Party Express.

Earlier this week, the group unveiled its own TV ad targeting Murkowski, which spokesman Levi Russell said he hopes will be on the air in Alaska within the next two weeks. Russell said the spot will send a clear signal to Murkowski, "We voted you out once, and we'll do it again."

Murkowski is waging a write-in bid this fall against Republican Joe Miller, who defeated her in the primary, and Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams (D). One of the new spots shows voters how to write-in and spell Murkowski's name.

The second ad targets the Sacramento-based Tea Party Express directly.

--Shane D'Aprile contributed to this post.

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California Senate candidate Carly Fiorina (R) refused to take a position on immigration reform during her second debate with Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).

"The drug war has reached California," Fiorina said during an exchange about border security and immigration. "We have a border that is insecure."

The debate was co-hosted by the Spanish-language newspaper La Opinion and Southern California Public Radio.

La Opinion's Gabriel Lerner pressed Fiorina on immigration reform.

"The reason I don't want to breeze past border security is we have not secured it," she told him. "We have to secure the border."

Lerner continued to push her for a position. "You have to deal with the most pressing problems in front of us," Fiorina said. "We need a temporary worker program that works in this state."

She added, "I am very proud that I have received the endorsement of so many in the Hispanic community and so many in the agricultural community."

Boxer made her position clear. "I believe in comprehensive immigration reform," the Democrat said. 

Fiorina was also pressed to name the "elite extreme environmental groups" she said were backing Boxer during their first debate earlier this month. 

Fiorina paused for several seconds before responding. She didn't name the groups, but said Boxer must feel "beholden" to "a variety organizations" because she supported the Senate's cap and trade legislation.

"I'm proud to have the support of the Sierra Club, I'm proud to have the support of the League of Conservation Voters," Boxer said in response.

The radio debate took place with Boxer at NPR's studios in Washington and Fiorina in KPCC's Pasadena studios. The two also engaged on issues such as abortion, gun control and the drug war in Mexico.

--Updated at 6:41 p.m.