The head of the NRSC sat down with the Wall Street Journal to tick through the GOP’s strongest pick-up opportunities in 2012 and the Florida Senate race was notably absent. It seems even the NRSC doesn’t think Sen. Bill Nelson can be beat.

The Buzz: NRSC’s Cornyn doesn’t seem optimistic about Florida Senate race

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, who infamously backed Charlie Crist in Florida’s last Senate race, has played it more careful this time around. But Cornyn has picked various races he thinks Republicans have the best shot to pick up seats in 2012 — and Florida’s not on his list.

According to this Wall Street Journal story, Cornyn selects races in North Dakota, Montana, Nebraska Missouri, Wisconsin, Ohio, New Mexico, Virginia and Hawaii.

Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson faces a tough contest, to be sure, but he’s a veteran pol and has been raising a lot of money. As Stu Rothenberg pointed out, Florida is key in whether the GOP takes the Senate. But the respected analyst noted: “A crowded GOP race won’t be thinned out until the Aug. 14 primary. That will give the GOP nominee less than three months to replenish his or her war chest and focus sights entirely” on Nelson.

Rothenberg currently rates the race “tossup/tilt Democrat.”
Full article here.