As part of a broad effort to rebound after the Florida primary, Newt Gingrich's campaign has appointed a new chief of staff-- Patrick Millsaps.

Millsaps is a prominent lawyer from Newt's home state of Georgia. He joined the campaign the week before the Iowa caucuses and until this move was serving as the deputy general counsel.

Millsaps made the transition during the last day or so of the Florida campaign. He is a partner at Hall Booth Smith & Plover.

His new title isn't a shake-up. It's part of the campaign's efforts to beef back up staffing and campaign structure post-Iowa. Newt 2012 is still very much run by the candidate, but Gingrich has broadened his cadre of advisers. In addition to making sure the trains run on time, Millsaps will help with messaging as the race expands to multiple states. His promotion comes as the campaign prepares to challenge Florida's "winner-take-all" delegate allocation - so far, the state's 50 delegates were awarded to Mitt Romney. (read more)

TAMPA, Fla. -- Florida's primary might not be over just yet.

The Newt Gingrich campaign is gearing up to challenge the results of the Florida Republican presidential primary based on the Republican National Committee's own rules which state that no contest can be winner-take-all prior to April 1, 2012. (See RNC memo.)

It was assumed that Mitt Romney, who won Tuesday's contest, would gain all 50 of the state's delegates. But the Gingrich campaign plans to challenge Florida's allocation and demand the delegates be divvied up proportionally. (See Gingrich memo.)

Fox News has learned exclusively that on Thursday, a Florida Gingrich campaign official will begin the process of trying to have the RNC rules enforced so that the Sunshine State delegates are distributed based on the percentage of the vote each candidate got. (read more)

With Florida behind them, the GOP presidential candidates head into another round of contests in February.

First up is Nevada, which holds its caucus this Saturday, February 4. Mitt Romney may be able to continue his momentum from his Florida win into frontrunner status in the state, which has a strong Mormon voting bloc. Also on Romney's side is the fact he won the state during his 2008 presidential campaign.  

However, Ron Paul's campaign says he also has a strong presence in Nevada, as well as support among LDS voters. Romney aides reportedly consider Paul to be a contender in the state. 

Maine also begins its week-long caucus Saturday, which concludes on February 11. Romney may also gain front-runner status in this race, as he is the only native New Englander campaigning. He also won the primary in nearby New Hampshire.

Colorado holds its caucus on February 7. This swing state has been eyed by some of the hopefuls as a place to gain an edge. Rick Santorum in particular has focused on Colorado recently, releasing a scathing attack ad against Gingrich in the state Tuesday. He has also gained the support of Focus on the Family leader James Dobson in Colorado Springs. Romney reportedly considers the Colorado vote crucial in the general election against President Obama. (read more)

The audience did not have a role in the debate tonight in Florida, and it subdued things.

There were no standing ovations for Newt Gingrich or loud outbursts, as there have been in recent consequential and boisterous GOP candidate debates in other states.

A toned-down Gingrich assumed the role of frontrunner, and tried to play above the fray. However, his counter-punching and jabs still scored.

On the other hand, Romney brawled. Since losing to Gingrich in SC Romney has been rehearsing the Freddie Mac attack against his rival.

When Gingrich released his Freddie Mac consulting contract, which does not mention lobbying, Romney was ready to point out that he was contracted to the public policy division, which is Freddie Mac's lobbying arm. He added that Gingrich had been hired by the chief lobbyist.

Romney was still stiff and awkward discussing his tax returns. Aides say in 2010 Romney reported income of $21.7 million and has an estimated 2011 income of $20.9 million mostly from investment profits, interest and dividends.

Romney's comments about "self-deportation" for undocumented immigrants will have him explaining himself for awhile. Hs position is actually very similar to that of the House GOP, which is sometimes referred to as "attrition though law enforcement." This mean when authorities encounter illegal immigrants, a legal process to deport them ensues. (read more)

The audience did not have a role in the debate tonight in Florida, and it subdued things.

There were no standing ovations for Newt Gingrich or loud outbursts, as there have been in recent consequential and boisterous GOP candidate debates in other states.

A toned-down Gingrich assumed the role of frontrunner, and tried to play above the fray. However, his counter-punching and jabs still scored.

On the other hand, Romney brawled. Since losing to Gingrich in SC Romney has been rehearsing the Freddie Mac attack against his rival.

When Gingrich released his Freddie Mac consulting contract, which does not mention lobbying, Romney was ready to point out that he was contracted to the public policy division, which is Freddie Mac's lobbying arm. He added that Gingrich had been hired by the chief lobbyist.

Romney was still stiff and awkward discussing his tax returns. Aides say in 2010 Romney reported income of $21.7 million and has an estimated 2011 income of $20.9 million mostly from investment profits, interest and dividends.

Romney's comments about "self-deportation" for undocumented immigrants will have him explaining himself for awhile. Hs position is actually very similar to that of the House GOP, which is sometimes referred to as "attrition though law enforcement." This mean when authorities encounter illegal immigrants, a legal process to deport them ensues. (read more)

Dixville Notch, NH -- For the last 50 years, the residents of this tiny community in the North Country have voted at midnight to be the first of the first in the nation primary voters. Nine registered voters cast ballots at the Balsams Resort Tuesday morning.

Chief Political Correspondent Carl Cameron's video blog is after the jump:

Texas Governor Rick Perry is formally unveiling his flat tax proposal Tuesday in South Carolina. His campaign hopes the plan will gain traction with people who are fed up with the current tax system.

Sources tell Fox News it will be an optional 20% flat income tax with a $12,500.00 deduction per individual, per household. Taxpayers may otherwise choose to keep paying under existing IRS code.

The Texas governor hopes to one-up Cain's 9-9-9 plan, which some tax hawks and Tea Partiers have criticized for creating a new sales tax.

The roll out comes on the heels of Steve Forbes' announcement he's endorsing Perry; Forbes championed the idea of a flat tax when he ran for president in 2000 and advised Perry on this new proposal.

Bachmann campaign manager Keith Nahigian tells Fox News, "We have a great team in New Hampshire we have not been notified that anyone is leaving the campaign."  

This is in reaction to local reports suggesting all of Bachmann's staffers in the Granite State had resigned.

Nahigian adds, "We look forward to spending more time in the Granite State between now and the primary.  At this time, our main focus is Iowa and we are building on our efforts there.  Michele will spend the majority of her time in Iowa, doing what she does better than all the other candidates - retail politics - leading up to the all important caucuses." (read more)

Another GOP presidential candidate is joining the boycott against Nevada for its attempt to move forward in the nominating process. Herman Cain is joining the boycott according to spokesman J.D. Gordon.

While he will attend Tuesday's debate in Las Vegas, Cain will otherwise not campaign in Nevada until its caucus date is placed after Jan. 17, 2012. That would leave New Hampshire and Iowa enough time in January to conduct their first in the nation contests without either being crowded within seven days.

A move forward by Nevada could lead Iowa and New Hampshire to push their contests up to December with political ads and campaigning running full steam between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Rick Santorum, Jon Huntsman, Newt Gingrich, and Michele Bachmann are also boycotting the primary while Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul are not. (read more)

Get ready for a billion dollar blitz of political ads by outside groups as they take center stage in the 2012 presidential race.

Since the Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case last year, certain Political Action Committees or PACs may now collect unlimited contributions without disclosing the people, businesses or organizations that contributed. The Revolution super PAC backing Ron Paul hopes to secure liberty and millions of dollars for the candidate.

There is one major super PAC backing Mitt Romney called Restore Our Future. It was started by former Romney staffers months ago and has so far raised over $12 million more than any other super PAC to date.

Rick Perry has more super PACs backing him than any rival; Make Us Great Again, started by ex-Perry staffers, Americans for Rick Perry, Veterans for Perry, and at least 5 others including a group from the first-in-the-nation caucus state of Iowa.

Technically super PACs are independent from the candidates and campaigns but they amplify a candidate's positives and more often attack a rival's negatives.

Michele Bachmann's former staffers created Citizens for a Working America to help her. Separately Keep Conservatives United is also bashing Perry on Bachmann's behalf.

The super PAC for Jon Huntsman is called Our Destiny. It's run by Huntsman's ex ad man and a family business associate (read more)