The Note's Must-Reads for Thursday, April 26, 2012

The Note's Must-Reads are a round-up of today's political headlines and stories from ABC News and the top U.S. newspapers. Posted Monday through Friday right here at www.abcnews.com

Compiled by ABC News' Jayce Henderson, Amanda VanAllen, Carrie Halperin, and Ashton Marra

WOMEN VOTERS ABC News' Gary Langer: " Michelle Obama, Ann Romney, Hillary Clinton: In Personal Popularity, the Women Rule" Michelle Obama and Ann Romney outscore their husbands in personal popularity in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll, while Hillary Clinton, for her part, has hit a new high in favorability data stretching back to her entry on the national stage 20 years ago. Clinton and Obama both are far better known than Romney, helping boost them to much higher popularity ratings overall. LINK

NEWT GINGRICH USA Today's Catalina Camia and Jackie Kucinich: " Newt Gingrich to end campaign next week" Newt Gingrich is making plans to end his presidential bid next week and throw his support behind Mitt Romney. "We are transitioning the campaign," Gingrich adviser Bob Walker said in an interview. LINK

The Boston Globe's Michael D. Shear: " Gingrich ready to suspend his GOP campaign next week" Newt Gingrich told Mitt Romney Wednesday morning that he would suspend his presidential campaign next week and begin working to turn out conservative voters for Romney and Republican candidates in the fall election, Gingrich's spokesman said. Gingrich plans to officially endorse Romney's candidacy after suspending his own efforts next week, said R.C. Hammond. LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA The Washington Times' Dave Boyer and Susan Crabtree: " Team Obama announces formal start of campaign" President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will formally kick off his re-election campaign on May 5 with rallies in the swing states of Ohio and Virginia, Obama campaign officials announced Wednesday night. LINK

The Wall Street Journal's Carol E. Lee: " Obama Ends Three-State Swing" A day after Mitt Romney further solidified his status as the Republican presidential nominee, President Barack Obama wrapped up his campaign-style swing across college campuses where he was wooing young voters in three key electoral states. Mr. Obama's trip to North Carolina, Colorado and Iowa was billed by the White House as an official, taxpayer-funded presidential push for Congress to pass a temporary extension of a freeze in the interest rate for new federally-subsidized student loans. LINK

The Hill's Amie Parnes and Justin Sink: " Obama's first official campaign rallies to be in Virgina, Ohio" Vowing that "the monologue is over," President Obama's campaign team announced Wednesday that the president is ready to kick off the 2012 campaign, holding his first official rallies next week in two critical swing states.  Obama will travel to Columbus, Ohio, and Richmond, Va., on May 5 for campaign events, and is expected to have first lady Michelle Obama at his side, campaign officials said on Wednesday evening. LINK

MITT ROMNEY Bloomberg's Julie Hirschfeld Davis: " Romney Claims Win Vowing End to Obama 'Disappointments'" Mitt Romney has declared himself the Republican presidential nominee and launched his general- election campaign against President Barack Obama, seeking to turn the president's own promises against him and capitalize on voters' disaffection with the economy. The day after Romney used a five-state primary sweep to make clear he views the Republican race over, the party chairman labeled him the "presumptive nominee" and his closest remaining competitor in accruing delegates, Newt Gingrich, moved toward dropping his bid. LINK

NEWT GINGRICH The New York Times' Michael Shear: " Yielding to 'the Real World,' Gingrich Tells Romney He'll Quit the Race" Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign was always improbable: He was a Washington insider, twice divorced, with a lavish lifestyle and a penchant for off-the-cuff bluntness that is perfect for a pundit, not a politician. LINK

HISPANIC VOTE The Washington Post's Peter Wallsten: " Marco Rubio's Dream Act alternative a challenge for Obama on illegal immigration" Gaby Pacheco, a vocal immigrant activist, accepted a tantalizing invitation last week from an unlikely source: Republican Sen. Marco Rubio wanted her to help craft a bill that could legalize the children of some illegal immigrants. LINK

MARCO RUBIO Politico's Mackenzie Weinger: " 10 fun facts about Marco Rubio" With an upcoming biography revealing new details about Sen. Marco Rubio's life - his grandfather ignored a deportation order,  for instance - here's POLITICO's list of 10 more things you might not know about the Florida Republican and potential VP pick. LINK

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