The 2012 election is quickly approaching, and Florida is once again going to be a major player, especially in the GOP primary.

I know, how’s that for being Captain Obvious?

But there was a very interesting article about the situation today on Politico.com. Much of the story revolved around Florida moving up its primary date, potentially at the cost of some delegates at the convention, which will be in Tampa.

And when Florida is playing a major role in the election, you know Polk County is going to play a huge role on its own and also as part of the critical I-4 corridor.

John McCain carried Polk with 35 percent of the vote on his way to winning the Florida GOP primary in 2008 and later the nomination. George W. Bush (2000) and Bob Dole (1996) each won Polk and Florida by more than 50 percent on the way to their nominations, as well.

Recent polls displayed at Real Clear Politics currently show Mitt Romney with a slim lead in Florida, followed by Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, and amazingly, Donald Trump. You can see the polls aggregated here.

Again, there’s still a lot of time for things to shake out, but there is no doubt about Florida’s importance in 2012.