It has the backing of both leading Republican gubernatorial candidates -- businessman Rick Scott and Attorney General Bill McCollum, whose office is helping to draft the bill. ...

Rep. J.C. Planas, a Republican from Miami, called it an election-year stunt.

Florida's last stand

"Alex Sink delivered a simple message Friday to the heart of Palm Beach County's liberal condo belt: Support her campaign for governor or watch Florida become one of the most conservative states in the country." "Sink warns SoFla Democrats that state could go completely conservative".

Teabagger laff riot

"The alliance of local leaders in the Tea Party movement called the news conference to renounce the newly formed Florida Tea Party as a front group meant to help Democrats. But the leaders of the Florida Tea Party crashed the news conference, which at times degenerated into a circus of shouts, interruptions and threats of assault charges." "Tea partyers clash, accuse each of other of intimidation".

Crist is successfully "threading a needle"

"Charlie Crist is threading a needle — successfully so far — in trying to build a coalition of enough Democratic, Republican and independent supporters to pull off an unprecedented nonpartisan statewide victory."

But as Gov. Crist reaches out more and more to Democratic voters, he's in danger of alienating Republicans he still needs to win the U.S. Senate race.

The man who for years touted his conservatism has in recent weeks vetoed an anti-abortion bill; applauded the Supreme Court nomination of Elena Kagan, after opposing Sonia Sotomayor when he was a Republican; reversed course and said he supports repealing "don't ask, don't tell"; consistently praised President Barack Obama's response to the BP oil catastrophe; and endorsed a redistricting reform proposal reviled by most Republican leaders in Florida.

Kosmas, Boyd and Grayson vulnerable?

Chris Cillizza, the 'Fix' blogger for the Washington Post, has come out with "his list of 30 U.S. House seats most likely to switch parties this fall -- and three Florida seats are on it. Cillizza has Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, at number 13, followed by Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, at 25 and Allen Boyd, D-Monticello, at 30. Grayson's vulnerability rating actually dropped a bit since Cillizza's prior rankings on May 14, when his was the 9th most vulnerable seat in the nation. Kosmas and Boyd made Cillizza's list for the first time. See the full post on his blog here". "Grayson, Kosmas, Boyd deemed vulnerable".

Here's what Cillizza says, although it is apparent he is overrating the quality of the (potential) RPOFer opposition:

Florida's 2nd (Democratic-controlled): Rep. Allen Boyd has a double-barreled problem: a primary challenge from his ideological left in the form of state Sen. Al Lawson and then a real general election opponent who, according to an internal GOP poll, is already beating Boyd. And, although the Democratic primary isn't until Aug. 24, it's already getting nasty.

Florida's 24th (D): Freshman Rep. Suzanne Kosmas' (D) 16-point victory over Tom Feeney (R) in 2008 was a bit deceiving as this central Florida seat is a very competitive one. (John McCain won with by two points in 2008 even as he was losing statewide by three.) Republicans have a a crowded -- and late -- primary but former Ruth's Chris steakhouse CEO Craig Miller looks like the nominee.

Florida's 8th (D): Rep. Alan Grayson's (D-Fla.) string of controversial comments sure look like a potentially potent liability in November. But national Republicans, worried about a tough and wide-open primary here, aren't quite as bullish. Sen. George LeMieux (R-Fla.) recently endorsed former state Sen. Dan Webster in the GOP primary, but national Republicans like businessman Bruce O'Donoghue.

Yee haw!

"McCollum bashes White House, rallies GOP faithful in Tampa appearance" "McCollum bashes White House, rallies GOP faithful in Tampa appearance".

Never mind the oil

Aaron Deslatte: "Remember that early-summer drumbeat for a special lawmaking session to pass a constitutional ban on oil drilling?"

Well the clock appears to have expired on that front. Both House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, and Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, have resisted the idea pushed by Gov. Charlie Crist to pass a constitutional amendment banning oil drilling, which state law already outlaws in near-shore Florida waters.

FCAT follies

"Late FCAT scores set for release Monday".

Running gov'ment like a bidness

First these dopes "spent tens of thousands of dollars, meant to help find people jobs, on feeding and entertaining itself."

Now, "Jobs at the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance continue to vanish as more day-to-day duties are being turned over to a private service provider." "Dozens of workforce alliance employees out of work".

Fl-oil-duh

"Tests show BP is on target for mid-August completion of a relief well in the Gulf of Mexico, the best hope of stopping the oil that's been gushing since April, the company said Friday." "BP says Gulf of Mexico relief well on target for completion mid-August".

See also "Town takes center stage in fight over oil policies", "BP's "media star" tries to reassure Florida officials", "Bob Graham promises objective, thorough assessment by oil spill", Oil spill: Panhandle hotels full — but not celebrating, "Pensacola Beach reopens after heavy oil washes ashore", "Vice President Biden To Visit Gulf Region Tuesday", "Little spent on oil spill cleanup technology", "Oil brings anguish, need for counseling, for landlocked fishermen", "Pensacola Beach reopons after heavy oil washes up", "Oil may pose a hazard for humans, too", "Tropical system threatens gusher zone" and "Unclear if tropical depression will hit oiled Gulf".

BP says "jump!"

"Three GOP Congressional candidates in Florida have received campaign money thanks to Joe Barton, the Texas congressman who came under heavy fire this month for apologizing to British Petroleum for the federal government's treatment of the company."

So far, none of the candidates has agreed to calls from Democrats to give the money back. Among the candidates is Dennis Ross, a former state legislator from Lakeland, who refused a Democratic opponent's [Lori Edwards] public call on him this week to give back what she described as "dirty money." ...

U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney of Tequesta, who is running for re-election, received $1,000 from the fund in December. Allen West of Deerfield Beach, a retired Army lieutenant colonel challenging U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, received $1,000 from the PAC in March. ...

Though many in the GOP have sought distance from Barton, the controversy surrounding him apparently has not dissuaded U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Ocala, from holding a fundraiser next week at which Barton is reportedly a featured guest.

McCollum admits committee connection

Steve Bousquet: "McCollum, under fire from Scott's campaign for actively soliciting donations to two political committees working on his behalf, confirmed he has signed required paperwork with the state for elected officials who solicit such funds."

McCollum "hiding behind technicalities and shadow groups"

The Palm Beach Post editorial board: "The question of whether Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is violating state election law comes down to what 'control' means. It should come down to transparency."

Mr. McCollum doesn't want the public to know who is giving millions of dollars to these groups, which have paid for attack ads against Mr. Scott. In a May 25 e-mail disclosed by the St. Petersburg Times, a Philadelphia media producer seeks final approval for one of those ads. Among the e-mail recipients are Mr. McCollum's campaign manager, pollster, consultant and two McCollum media producers. The list also includes Mary Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and the head of Alliance for America's Future.

In a June 10 e-mail obtained by The Tampa Tribune, the wife of Mr. McCollum's campaign manager sends financial wiring instructions to a Miami contributor on behalf of the Florida First Initiative, another 527 airing attack ads against Mr. Scott. The message, which is copied to Mr. McCollum's finance director, says "Bill McCollum asked that I forward this information to you."

Aside from requiring control, the new state law requires candidates for governor and other state offices to acknowledge their role in these shadowy groups if they "directly or indirectly solicit" money. After release of that e-mail, Mr. McCollum cannot deny soliciting on behalf of the 527. His campaign falls back on "control," an iffy defense. ...

Mr. McCollum, the attorney general charged with pursuing violations of election law, is hiding behind technicalities and shadow groups. It's a lousy campaign message from someone who wants to be Florida's next governor.

SunRail

"SunRail, bullet train on track for 2015".

Thank 'ye, Kendrick

Jac Wilder VerSteeg: "Here's an irony: When U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Miami, voted in 2008 for the $700 billion financial bailout, he might have made it possible for Jeff Greene to afford the campaign that may cost Rep. Meek the Democratic Senate nomination."

Money from the taxpayer-financed bailout went to, among other institutions, big Wall Street banks that owed Mr. Greene hundreds of millions of dollars. If Congress and President Bush hadn't approved the bailout - or, as it's officially known, the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) - the banks might not have been able to pay off Mr. Greene.

Scott's "glaring liability"

"Rick Scott might have a glaring liability in his quest for the governor's mansion: his hair. Or lack thereof." "Is hair a factor in Florida governor's race?".

Dean's earmark

"A divided state panel on Thursday refused to set aside $2 million towards a Citrus County conservation purchase that had been tucked deep inside the new state budget. Instead the board of the Florida Communities Trust would only agree to set aside a much a smaller amount for the project that had the backing of Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness." "State board balks at budget provision passed by Legislature".

Google probe

"Florida has joined multistate probe into Google".

"Health care freedom" idiocy

"A campaign effort has been launched to promote Amendment 9, the measure pushed by the GOP-controlled Legislature to block federal health care reform."

The effort to pass the "health care freedom" amendment is starting with just a website and grassroots education efforts. But organizers with Yes on 9 say they hope to get enough money to eventually buy television time and do direct-mail pieces to voters. The campaign will be led initially by Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis and Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, the two primary sponsors of the amendment but a steering committee of business leaders, medical professionals and conservative activists will be announced soon, said Erin VanSickle, a spokeswoman for the group.

The best he can do?

"McCollum Locks Down Gainesville With Local Party Boss".

DC GOPers undermining Florida budget

"The probability that Florida will see $1 billion in extra federal Medicaid money is growing dimmer with U.S. Senate Republicans blocking the measure from advancing this week and drawing concern from Florida lawmakers who partially built the state budget around the likely delivery of those dollars." "Lack of FMAP Could Spell Disaster for Florida Budget".

I got mine

"High Unemployment isn’t a Big Concern for Conservative Republicans".

Will wingnuts sink "innocence commission"?

"Even before the Florida Supreme Court launches an 'innocence commission,' some advocates are worried about its future."

Reformers with the Innocence Project of Florida urged Chief Justice Peggy Quince, a liberal and the first black woman to hold the post, to create the commission in hopes of identifying the serious flaws in the judicial system that put innocent people on death row.

But just as the court is set to launch the commission, the chief justice gavel will rotate to Justice Charles Canady, a Republican and a former Congressman noted for his conservatism.

"Outgoing Chief Justice Peggy Quince has been actively consulting with incoming Chief Justice Charles T. Canady about the project. Quince initiated the project, but the Commission's work will occur during the Canady administration which begins July 1," court spokesman Craig Waters said Friday.

"Extraordinary legal fight"

"A battle over proposed redistricting amendments is turning into an extraordinary legal fight between members of Congress, the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature, Gov. Charlie Crist and even a former governor." "New showdown looming between Crist and Legislature".

Yaaawwwnnn

"Eric Eikenberg lands job lobbying for Holland & Knight".

Perhaps McCollum "should be running for mayor"

"Florida's gubernatorial wannabes are confronting the worst economic climate in modern history with big plans — but precious few details — on how they would create more jobs."

One of its linchpins is cutting Florida's 5.5 percent corporate income tax rate to 4.5 percent, which would reduce tax collections by $282 million next year.

Both Sink and McCollum want to eliminate corporate income taxes altogether for startup companies. Sink's plan would "defer" the taxes for three years while McCollum's would waive them entirely for 10 years.

But neither campaign has assessed the financial hit to state coffers from doing so. And Florida is already the 47th lowest-taxed state per-capita in the country, according to the conservative Tax Foundation.

"We've lost 900,000 jobs and have one of the lowest tax burdens in the country. Making taxes even lower is not in any way a sure-proof way to create new jobs. We're already low," said John Hall, executive director of the progressive Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy.

Another piece of McCollum's jobs plan is freezing property-tax-millage rates for cities and counties for two years, so local governments don't try to balance their budgets by raising taxing rates as property values continue to slide.

After two years, McCollum wants lawmakers to adopt a property-tax cap that would allow taxes to climb only as much as inflationary pressures on consumers and businesses.

But cities and counties criticize that idea. Florida League of Cities lobbyist Rebecca O'Hara says the freeze would hamstring local governments' ability to respond to the Gulf oil disaster.

"If that's the kind of policy someone wants to propose, it sounds like they should be running for mayor," she said.

Scott's hypocrisy "explodes" as an issue

"Rick Scott has made it clear there's no way he would have accepted federal stimulus money as governor."

At the same time, a broadband company that received $63.6 million in federal stimulus money is among his investments.

Scott's Republican gubernatorial rival, Attorney General Bill McCollum, has stimulus problems of his own. He invested money in a broadband company that asked for $129 million of the stimulus and owns stock in another company that benefited from the $787 billion federal program.

The issue exploded Thursday in a heated primary battle where any shred of support for the stimulus alarms GOP voters.

Can McCollum be this desperate?

"Can a Friend of Bill Clinton be a Friend of Bill McCollum? Sure, if your name is Dick Morris."

Morris' critics call him a serial flip-flopper, who began his political career as a Republican strategist, then jumped ship to help Bill Clinton get elected in 1992.

After resigning from the Clinton team in 1996, amid reports of his salacious "toe-sucking" affair with a prostitute, Morris headed back to the Republican camp.

On his way out of the White House, Morris bragged that he helped Clinton "come back from being buried in a landslide."

Since then, Morris has worked as a "conservative" commentator who takes liberal swipes at Democrats.

Whether Morris' support helps the struggling McCollum campaign is anyone's guess. But any claim that Morris has to fiscal conservatism was heavily discounted by his run-ins with the tax man.

In 2003, the IRS hit Morris with a $1.5 million lien for back taxes. In 2007, he was listed among Connecticut’s top 100 tax delinquents for failing to pay $452,367 in state taxes.

Morris said he reached an agreement with Connecticut, and his name was off the state's scofflaw list as of Nov. 1, 2008.

"Following a difficult period in my life, I fell into arrears. But since then, I have paid almost $3 million in state and federal taxes," Morris was quoted as saying.

Without a tinge of irony, Morris on Wednesday blasted McCollum's gubernatorial primary rival, Rick Scott.

"Rick Scott made millions in highly questionable billings under the Medicaid and Medicare program. His financial dealings have come under great scrutiny. But he is using his gains to fund a campaign of smear against McCollum," Morris said.

Fl-oil-duh

"A day after it was hit by globs of oil, a Florida Panhandle beach showed few signs of sludge." "Beaches cleaner a day after onslaught of oil".

See also "More evidence of Gulf oil spill washes ashore", "Pensacola Beach closed after oil washes ashore", "Storm threat could mean a worse gusher", "Oil threatens inland waters in Escambia", "Oil could be headed to Perdido Key", "Spill may derail tourism recovery" and "Pensacola cleanup: last stand against Gulf oil spill".

"With the growing public outrage over the Gulf oil spill, this is prime time for politicians to jump on the anti-drilling bandwagon. If they do, they'll join U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, who has been on that wagon for years. When Buchanan, a Longboat Key Republican, introduced a bill Tuesday that would reform the oil-drilling regulatory agency and remove the liability cap for companies that cause a spill, it wasn't just to impress the voters. He means it." "Buchanan's oil-spill bill".

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Officials in Tampa Bay and all coastal counties can learn from what they saw in Pensacola by making detailed plans for how they would respond if they woke to a similar disaster." "Lessons for us from the Panhandle".

"Jeb!" for prez?

"Could former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush be running for president?".

Sad day

"It's the 13th panther death this year. Scientists believe between 100 and 120 Florida panthers remain in the wild, though they are running out of habitat." "Florida panther struck and killed by car".

Bought and paid for

"Brevard County lawmakers won one-fourth of the Champion For Business awards for their work on economic issues during the 2010 legislative session. The current and future leaders of the state House and Senate were among the 16 legislators honored Thursday by Associated Industries of Florida, the state's largest business lobbying organization. Separate councils of AIF also recognized 10 members for work in specific areas of legislation affecting the state's business climate." "Lawmakers honored for work on business issues".

Citrus executives whine

"Stung by Gov. Charlie Crist's vetoes of a bill protecting a property tax break for agricultural land and $1 million to battle citrus greening disease, some state citrus executives are attacking the governor for missing appointments to the Florida Citrus Commission by the Feb. 1 deadline as required by law." "Crist's Tardiness Vexes Citrus".

We need to build more freeway overpasses

Renters face "a new threat of eviction starting next week when Florida law allows homeowner associations to pursue renters, not just landlords, for overdue fees. If the owner falls behind and the renter doesn't cover the deficit, the renter faces eviction under the new statute, which takes effect July 1." "New law can make renters pay homeowner-association fees".

Miami under water? ... pols don't care

Fred Grimm: "No summer horror movie offers anything more frightening than the real-life disaster portrayed by a PowerPoint slideshow at Miami-Dade County Hall Wednesday. But the timing was utterly out of sync with American politics."

Robert Verchick of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation, reminded the gathered local, state and federal officials that a survey of the world's great cities with the most assets at risk from climate change ranked Miami the most vulnerable city in North America. Nothing in the discussion that followed cast any doubt on that ranking.

But this crisis, despite the horrors, comes with a timeline too far -- a three-to-five-foot rise in sea level by the end of the century. Not urgent enough, apparently, to alarm a civic leadership that can hardly see beyond the next election cycle.

"A baffling and troubling stand" by McCollum

Scott Maxwell notes that Billy McCollum "took a baffling and troubling stand last week — opposing your right to know what your elected officials are doing." He actually uttered these words:

"I'm not sure the Legislature is the place for open government."

It's like Bill had a senior moment. Like he forgot he was at a debate for gubernatorial candidates and mistakenly thought he was whispering sweet nothings into the ears of the lobbyists who are funding his campaign.

But no, Bill apparently meant this. He went on to say that public disclosure just makes it so darn hard to do business in a timely manner.

All this comes from a man who not only wants to be your next governor, but who also is currently your attorney general — making him the point man for many "Government in the Sunshine" laws issues in this state.

FCAT follies

"The Florida Department of Education is asking for more than $3 million in damages from contractor NCS Pearson over a delay in reporting the results of the state's standardized exam, the FCAT." "Education Department Seeking Damages Over FCAT Delay". Related: "Tardy FCAT scores ready for release".

Go to the library, please

"Libraries and Librarians Are Endangered Species: What You Can Do to Help".

What's wrong with Hillsborough?

"The candidacy of two Democrats running for the Hillsborough County Commission, John Dingfelder and Linda Saul-Sena, hangs in the balance as Republican leaders say they might challenge their names on the November ballot." "GOP may dispute ballot". See also "GOP weighs court challenge after Dingfelder, Saul-Sena resign".

More from Hillsborough: "GOP commission candidate files ethics complaint against opponent".

LeMieux, Miller, need to "bark up another tree"

Paul Flemming: "Plenty of elected officials with R's after their names have made a clamor about the Jones Act, an obscure piece of 1920 legislation they say is limiting the number of ships helping corral wayward oil in the Gulf."

Capt. Scott Poulin, the Coast Guard's on-site commander at Mobile unified command — he's the man who must nod favorably for every single bit of Florida's Panhandle response — said the Jones Act is a non-issue. For one thing, Poulin says he has foreign vessels working the spill in the Gulf. All he has to do is keep them more than three miles off shore. For a second thing, Poulin and his superiors have the authority under the state of emergency to waive the Jones Act.

Earlier this month, U.S. Sen. George LeMieux and U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller sent Obama a letter asking the president to waive the Jones Act.

Bark up another tree, already. Preferably, find something that'll make a difference, no matter who it gigs.

Wingnuttery

The next time you hear a politician grubbing for votes at the delightful "Coral Ridge Ministries", recall this (courtesy of the unbalanced Jackie Bueno Sousa at the Miami Herald):

By the time President Barack Obama demanded last week that BP pay $20 billion into a fund to reimburse people and businesses damaged by the Gulf oil spill, Jerry Newcombe had already wrapped up his recently released documentary -- Socialism: A Clear and Present Danger.

Too bad for Newcombe, who could easily have used the event as fodder for the video, which aired nationally in May. Host of The Coral Ridge Hour, a weekly television show by Broward-based Coral Ridge Ministries, Newcombe sees the president's recent strong-arming of BP to obtain that $20 billion as the latest move in a disturbing pattern of activity.

"Socialism, at its core, is about the abolition of private property,'' Newcombe told me recently. The Obama administration "has shown they have no respect for private property.''

Meanwhile, up in DC ...

"Republicans [including Florida Sen. George LeMieux] defeated Democrats' showcase election-year jobs bill, including an extension of weekly unemployment benefits for millions of people out of work more than six months." "Republicans kill Senate jobless aid measure". See also "THE JOBLESS GET JOBBED" ("unified Republican Filibuster").

Florida wants to delay rule designed to restore red snapper populations

"Florida wildlife officials want the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to delay approval of a proposed new rule that prohibits bottom fishing in thousands of miles of the Atlantic Ocean off the state's coast. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved the new rule -- designed to restore red snapper populations in the region -- earlier this month. " "State wildlife officials: Delay snapper ban".

RPOFer debate negotiations

"While the campaign teams of Republican gubernatorial candidates Rick Scott and Attorney General Bill McCollum negotiate a series of debates, the three GOP candidates in the attorney general race are doing the same thing -- with much less acrimony and political posturing." "Republicans Running for AG Start Debate Negotiations".

Crist raising Dem dollars

"By bolting from the Republican Party, Gov. Charlie Crist has one place left to raise big money in his race for the U.S. Senate: Democrats."

A governor who once courted conservatives by calling himself a "Jeb Bush Republican" is getting help from liberal trial lawyers, union activists and even elected Democrats, who are shunning their party's Senate hopefuls, wealthy Palm Beach businessman Jeff Greene and U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek of Miami.

"Insults and accusations"

"The top two Democrats running for U.S. Senate offered few prospective policy differences during their first debate today, choosing instead to level each other with insults and accusations." "Meek, Greene aggressive in first Democratic debate for U.S. Senate seat".

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "It is a shame that this week's debate between Florida's two leading Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate was not televised statewide in prime time."

The first encounter between Palm Beach billionaire investor Jeff Greene and U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek of Miami was entertaining, enlightening — and entirely disappointing all at the same time. These are two seriously flawed candidates, and Democrats have a difficult choice to make just two months from today.

Rubio backpedaling on HCR

"Senate candidate Marco Rubio (R-FL), who has been a darling of conservatives this cycle, may be shifting closer to the center on his opposition to President Obama's recently enacted health care bill. Today he told a group of bloggers that he would not repeal the ban on denying insurance coverage to people based on pre-existing conditions, Jim Geraghty reports." "Rubio: I Wouldn't Repeal All Of Health Care Reform".

Public employee pension politics

"Once they were considered a sacred perk for public sector employees. But pensions have morphed into an albatross for many municipalities, compounded by shrinking tax revenues, investment losses and longer life spans. Now cities such as Fort Lauderdale and Delray Beach are reining in costs for future retirees, with others ready to follow suit." "Municipalities begin slashing pension costs". See also "Some pension reforms in South Florida" and "Broward County workers boost pension payouts with overtime work".

Michael Mayo parrots the usual League of Cities line in "Gathering pension storm could drown taxpayers in debt".

Crist

"Crist ceremonially signs condo bill at 3 South Florida locales".

Looking to knock off Bill Young

"Democrat looks to knock off longest-serving Republican in U.S. House "

The congressional race in Florida’s 10th District is heating up as the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. House, U.S. Rep. Bill Young, is facing his most serious Democratic challenger in years: Sen. Charlie Justice, D-St. Petersburg.

HD 67

"Four candidates slugged it out Wednesday night in a debate in a political race that is among the most competitive of local primary contests. The discussion among candidates running for Florida House District 67 ranged from questions about Gulf oil drilling to how best to balance the state budget." "District 67 fight: Debate focuses attention on race".

Haridopolos funnels hundreds of thousands of dollars to McCollum

"Senate President-designate Mike Haridopolos is looking like the latest top Florida lawmaker putting his money behind fellow Republican Bill McCollum in his primary fight with multimillionaire Rick Scott."

Haridopolos’ Freedom First Committee recently took in $500,000 from three Broward County companies, but quickly transfered most of the cash to another political committee whose leaders are supporting McCollum in the Republican primary for governor.

Fl-oil-duh

"Even as tar balls wash up on Florida Panhandle shores from the April 20 oil spill, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio stands consistently behind offshore drilling." "Marco Rubio’s consistency on offshore drilling may cost him at the polls". See also "FL-Sen: Rubio supports oil because it's safe".

"Pensacola Beach got the worst wallop so far in Florida from the spreading Gulf of Mexico slick, with eight miles of sticky oil arriving on the area's pristine sands." "Miles of oil washing up in Florida Panhandle".

See also "NOAA: Undersea oil plumes came from BP well", "Oil gusher spews full force after mishap", "Oil threatens inland waters in Escambia", "Thompson: Spill couldn't come at a worse time for NW Florida tourism industry", "Gulf counties vent frustrations", "Myopic view of the spill", "People worldwide to join Florida activists' cause in 'Hands Across the Sand' protest", "Cerabino: Is it time to 'kneel, baby, kneel' our way out of the oil spill disaster?", "Storm season and oil spill: A lot of what ifs", "Gulf oil closes Fla. beach, nears Miss. islands", "", "Oiled-bird rescue expert watches, waits -- and teaches", "" and "More oil gushing into Gulf after problem with cap".

"Lessons from a 1994 California Senate race"

"In Florida politics, it’s the season of the deep-pocketed, self-funded candidate."

People have watched in wonder as Jeff Greene and Rick Scott — two previous unknowns without any experience holding public office — have spent millions of their own money on TV, radio and print ads in pursuit of statewide office, and seen their name recognition and favorability ratings rocket as a result.

Lessons from a 1994 California Senate race may offer clues to how Kendrick Meek and Bill McCollum plan to defeat their mega-rich opponents.

"How dare you attack the character of my mother,'' demanded Kendrick Meek of rival Jeff Greene on Tuesday, in the first debate between the major Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate. "How dare you, Jeff Greene.''

Greene didn't apologize for attacking the Miami congressman for seeking earmarked federal funds from a developer who had hired his mother, former U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek. Kendrick Meek denies any wrongdoing and says he didn't know developer Dennis Stackhouse -- now facing fraud charges -- had given his mother $90,000 and a Cadillac Escalade for consulting work.

Asked to describe his own "carbon footprint,'' Meek said his family owns a Ford Hybrid and a minivan. Greene acknowledged driving a Cadillac Escalade -- the same kind of car he has mocked Meek's mother for driving -- but didn't mention his yacht, three planes or other cars parked at his $24 million mansion.

"I ride my bicycle around Palm Beach all the time,'' he volunteered

Pressure on Bud Chiles

"Lawton 'Bud' Chiles III has been an independent candidate for governor for only a few weeks, but some longtime friends and associates already are trying to persuade him to drop out." "Bud Chiles is being pressured to drop out of Florida governor's race".

Fl-oil-duh

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman’s decision Tuesday to overturn the Obama administration’s six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico is indefensible. " "A reckless ruling on gulf oil drilling". More: "White House will appeal as judge blocks Gulf offshore drilling moratorium; Florida officials, candidates react after ruling".

See also "Florida officials, candidates react after judge overturns Obama moratorium on Gulf oil drilling", "County officials, leaders in oil-spill response meet today in Fort Walton", "BP exec visits Fla. areas hurt by oil spill", "Drilling chief to lead investigations" and "Dolphins gauge damage as oil creeps toward pristine St. Joe Bay".

Lawson walks

"State Attorney Willie Meggs declined to prosecute anyone Tuesday in the weekend camera-snatching incident at state Sen. Al Lawson's campaign headquarters, so the Tallahassee lawmaker's congressional campaign took the case to a higher court: YouTube." "Lawson posts video confrontation on YouTube; no charges to be filed".

What's wrong with Hillsborough?

"An upcoming county commission primary race could test whether hard-core conservatives will continue to dominate Hillsborough County's Republican Party."

The contest pits incumbent District 7 Commissioner Mark Sharpe against conservative Josh Burgin, a former executive administrator with the county GOP. Burgin entered the race hours before last Friday's noon qualifying deadline.

It's been well known in Republican political circles that conservatives were looking for someone to challenge Sharpe because of his advocacy of a 1 cent sales tax for mass transit and road projects. Burgin, who has never held elected office, said he waited until the last minute to see if anyone else would take on Sharpe in the primary. ...

The contest pits incumbent District 7 Commissioner Mark Sharpe against conservative Josh Burgin, a former executive administrator with the county GOP. Burgin entered the race hours before last Friday's noon qualifying deadline.

It's been well known in Republican political circles that conservatives were looking for someone to challenge Sharpe because of his advocacy of a 1 cent sales tax for mass transit and road projects. Burgin, who has never held elected office, said he waited until the last minute to see if anyone else would take on Sharpe in the primary. ...

Before his job as Blair's aide, Burgin worked in the same capacity for former state House Speaker, Johnnie Byrd, R-Plant City.

This morning, his campaign office filed an order asking Wildfire Marketing Group, a website vendor, to take down www.votemarkjohnson.com for what it claims is a violation of the 1999 Federal Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act.

Enacted to thwart cyber and typo squatters, the law makes it illegal to register or use a domain name that is "confusingly similar to" a trademark or personal name. In this case, Johnson's campaign claims the linked site is not legitimate and was created to confuse voters by diverting them to Burgin's website, www.voterachelburgin.com, through a misspelling of Johnson's first name.

Johnson's real website, www.votemarcjohnson.com, was activated in October 2009, the other two by Wildfire Marketing in February. Burgin's campaign finance reports show she paid $1,225 to Wildfire in January.

"Incestuous pit of influence peddling"

The Miami Herald editorial board: "How ethically challenged is the Broward County Commission?"

Very, sad to say.

Last week, just before its summer recess, county commissioners unanimously voted to ask a judge to decide whether the county ethics commission's proposed reforms that would govern county elected officials, their families and staff are unconstitutional.

This is a joke, right? ...

At stake are the side jobs several commissioners have lobbying city governments on behalf of private clients, as well as the lobbying done by spouses of some commissioners and county staffers.

It's no secret that Broward is an incestuous pit of influence peddling. Some county commissioners lobby city commissions, which are dependent on the county for money and services. City commissioners lobby neighboring municipalities on behalf of would-be contractors. Spouses of elected officials -- School Board members and county and city commissioners -- wield enormous power as lobbyists thanks to family connections.

What will it take for the commission to get the message? Former County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion, notorious for skirting conflict laws in his private role as a lobbyist, has been marched off to federal prison for money-laundering. He also recently pleaded guilty to a state bribery charge. He's cooperating with investigators and more arrests are expected.

Former School Board member Beverly Gallagher pleaded guilty in March to taking bribes. Former Miramar Commissioner Fitzroy Salesman was convicted of public corruption and faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A statewide grand jury is now investigating public corruption in Broward. It recently summoned two Broward school district officials to testify.

And yet, the Broward Commission can't understand the necessity for adopting a strong ethics reform package.

Desperate RPOFers

"Financial links between the Florida TEA Party and U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., are giving Republicans plenty of political ammunition in the crowded 8th Congressional District race."

Grayson had bought advertising on an Orlando radio program -- now canceled -- hosted by Doug Guetzloe, a TEA consultant. And Guetzloe's son interned at Grayson's congressional office.

This week, TEA Party legislative candidate Victoria Torres also was connected to Grayson. Torres, a last-minute filer in the 51st Florida House district, worked as a pollster for Grayson.

According to the Florida Department of State, Torres incorporated Public Opinion Strategies Inc. in December 2008. In the first quarter of this year, Grayson’s campaign made two payments to her firm, totaling $11,000, for polling and survey expenses.

Curiously, Public Opinion Strategies also happens to be the name of a large Alexandria, Va., polling firm that does work for the Republican Party nationally.

“She’s got various businesses on the side,” said TEA Party spokesman Nick Egoroff, who fielded calls to Torres. “It’s just a business relationship. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

Republicans pounced on the news.

When it is politically convenient ...

"In a quick campaign stop at a Gainesville restaurant Tuesday, Marco Rubio told reporters that Gov. Charlie Crist's decision to veto $9.7 million from the state budget for Shands at the University of Florida to treat the uninsured 'makes no sense.'" "During Gainesville stop, Rubio criticizes Crist's Shands veto".

"A group rarely, if ever, seen together"

"It was a group rarely, if ever, seen together on Florida's political money trail."

There was Pat Neal, former executive director of the Florida Christian Coalition, mingling near Barbara A. Zdravecky, the head of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida.

Nearby, former Sarasota Republican Party Chairman Bob Waechter chatted amiably at the appetizer table with the very Democrat, Shirley Brown, he worked to defeat four years earlier for School Board and has vowed to defeat this year.

In another corner of the beachfront estate, State Rep. Darryl Rouson, a Democrat, held court before a gaggle of Republican donors who have already written checks aimed at defeating Rouson's fellow Democratic colleagues in the state Legislature.

McCollum desperate

"Dick Morris backs McCollum in Florida Governor race".

Wingnuttery

The Tampa Trib loses even more of whatever credibility it still has by publishing garbage like this "

- "With Sen. Reid and his Big Labor allies in Congress in full payback mode, Sens. Bill Nelson's and George LeMieux's votes could easily determine the fate of public safety workers all over the country."

- "The better-named Police and Firefighter Monopoly Bargaining Bill could turn over police and firefighters of local governments to union boss control by federal mandate."

- "Most Democrats and some weak-kneed Republicans are rushing to ram this bill through, regardless of the cost [*] to America's police and firefighters"

- "States and localities that have "taken the lead" by doing public employees the disservice of forcing them under union boss control are at the forefront of state and local budgetary disasters."

- "Out-of-control government union bosses and their outrageous demands.
Public sector union bosses simply hold the public 'hostage' - denying important public services - until they win amnesty for themselves and their members."

- "Union-label politicians love to include strike ban clauses in legislation to make the Big Labor bosses' takeover of important public services sound less dangerous - as they've done with S. 3194. But the reality is, they're virtually meaningless."

- "The Democrat [sic] Congressional Leadership is beholden to Organized Labor bosses for their power."

- "During these economic times, the devastating 'fruits' of government monopoly unionism have never been clearer."

"Jeb!" calls Obama "childish"

"For months now, Jeb Bush has been listening as President Obama blasts his older brother’s administration for the battered economy, budget deficits and even the lax oversight of oil wells."

“It’s kind of like a kid coming to school saying, ‘The dog ate my homework,’ ” Mr. Bush, this state’s former governor, said over lunch last week at the Biltmore Hotel. “It’s childish. This is what children do until they mature. They don’t accept responsibility.”

Outa here

"Between 2008 and last year, half of the Tampa Bay region's 50 incorporated cities lost people, according to census figures." "Many Bay area cities losing residents".

Gen. Edmund P. Gaines

Gerald Ensley: "What's in a name? Plenty of history".

Scott resigned in 1997 as CEO of the world's largest hospital corporation, Columbia/HCA, after the feds brought criminal and civil charges against it for massive Medicare fraud, resulting in a record $1.7 billion in fines and settlements. Greene — whose best man at his 2007 wedding was boxer and convicted rapist Mike Tyson, and who once had convicted Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss as a housemate — became a billionaire using credit-default swaps to bet against the subprime mortgages that toppled the U.S. housing market.

But then again, there's always Florida. There, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll, Scott looks set to win the Republican primary for governor on Aug. 24 and Greene is in a statistical tie with Congressman Kendrick Meek in the contest for the Democratic nod for the state's open U.S. Senate seat.

Florida the "epicenter" for Medicare fraud

The Sun Sentinel editorial board: "Legendary crook Willie Sutton said he robbed banks because 'that's where the money is.' If he were around today, he might be targeting Medicare."

Fortunately, two U.S. House members, Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami and Democrat Ron Klein of Boca Raton, have teamed up on a crackdown plan that should be made law. It would keep scammers away from Medicare, toughen penalties to punish and deter fraud, and prevent the identity theft that enables crooks to bilk the program.

With spending on Medicare nationally topping $450 billion this year, it's one of the biggest items in the federal budget. And estimates of fraud in the program, including overpayment or reimbursement for services or equipment never provided, run as high as $60 billion a year.

It's fitting the sponsors of the proposed crackdown are from Florida. The Sunshine State, as Ros-Lehtinen said, is the "epicenter" for fraud in Medicare. Between 2006 and 2009, for example, federal prosecutors in Miami went after more than 700 people responsible for more than $2 billion in false Medicare billings.

"Lawson is trying something new"

"While incumbent Allen Boyd has raised more than $1 million relying heavily on political action committees, his challengers on both sides of the aisle are shunning the “political machine” in favor of individual contributions. Florida Congressional District 2 challenger Al Lawson is trying something new." "PACs favor Boyd in District 6".

SunRail

"When SunRail trains start pulling into stations in 2013, cities across Central Florida are hoping riders step off the train to visit their shops and restaurants — and maybe even move into new pedestrian communities built around rail stops." "Central Florida cities hope SunRail riders will stop off and shop for a while".

'Glades

"Twenty years ago, it was to be Palm Beach County's next garbage dump. Now, it's a symbol of the state-federal commitment to the Everglades."

The 1,600-acre Fran Reich Preserve, named for the late west Boca Raton community organizer who led the fight against the dump, will be converted over the next four years into a $120 million reservoir as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. The first phase, costing $38 million, is moving forward with federal stimulus money.

Under President Bush, the first eight years of the supposed 50-50 federal-state partnership to restore the Everglades were all state and no federal. That has changed since President Obama's election.

Fl-oil-duh

"Weather favoring Fla. oil response". See also "Rep. Buchanan touts drilling legislation", "Sen. Nelson on Okaloosa: 'They’ll get their money'", "Florida officials seek out oil skimmers rather than wait for BP", "Oil spill: $14 million sought for job growth", "Gulf oil spill prompts early harvest of scallops" and "Florida Keys dodging threat from oil spill".

Party loyalty, Abruzzo style

"State Rep. Joe Abruzzo, D-Wellington, said he was supporting Greene over U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek in the Democratic primary because of Greene's business background. Abruzzo has told The Palm Beach Post that he would vote for Gov. Charlie Crist, a no-party candidate, if Meek wins his party's nomination." "Greene gets support from Rep. Abruzzo for Democratic nomination in US Senate race" ("Meek has been endorsed by U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, state CFO Alex Sink and the Florida AFL-CIO.").

Entrepreneurs in action

"Nicknamed 'Versailles' by owner and timeshare tycoon David Siegel, the massive mansion hit the market recently as the largest home for sale in the United States. Construction was halted last year to save money in a recession that proved particularly hard on Siegel's once-booming industry, so there's an option to buy the completed property at $100 million." "$75M mansion near Orlando selling 'as is'". Related: "Complaints over time-share-resale deals increasing".

Vacancy

"Must Gov. Crist fill vacant judge post?".

Taking offense

"Flagler County Supervisor of Elections Kim Weeks says she takes offense. She takes offense the county won't give her all the money she asks for. She takes offense the county, she says, makes decisions affecting her office without consulting her. " "Flagler elections chief upset with county".

Scott in Tally

Bill Cotterell: "Rick Scott, the Republican front-runner for governor, served up some standard GOP rhetoric about big government, in his first Tallahassee campaign stop last week." "Mr. Scott, meet the facts".

"Running third for the right to get clobbered"

Steve Otto: Tommy "Castellano is running for Congress as a Republican in a Democratic district. He wants to unseat incumbent Kathy Castor. Right now, he likely is running third against two other Republicans for the right to get clobbered. Castellano is a long shot." "Castellano casts eyes on Congress".

All four in the same room

"The four -- Republicans Bill McCollum and Rick Scott, Democrat Alex Sink and independent Lawton 'Bud' Chiles -- spoke to Leadership Florida, a networking organization that invited them to its annual meeting in Fort Myers. It was the first time all four had appeared before the same organization."

They avoided discussing each other, but their philosophical differences were on stark display: McCollum and Scott called for tax cuts, while Sink described a ``crisis of leadership'' in Tallahassee and urged more investment in programs for children. Chiles, the son of a former governor and senator, decried a political system polluted by money and partisanship.

Much of the buzz centered on Scott, the wealthy former hospital executive whose $16 million advertising campaign has catapulted him to front-runner status in the GOP race, but about whom little is known.

Tea party madness

"Tea Party organizers in Orlando announced last Friday they had fielded 20 candidates in state races as a way to punish incumbent Republicans who had voted in favor of Central Florida's commuter-rail project in Central Florida, or were 'big spenders' in the Legislature."

But by Monday, the organizers were complaining of GOP retaliation. And Tea Party advocate and political consultant Doug Guetzloe was removed from the Orlando radio station where he's bought time for a five-day-a-week talk show.

"A lot of bad things are happening to people who are involved with us," said political activist Fred O'Neal, an Orlando attorney who with Guetzloe incorporated the Florida Tea Party and has been fighting a lawsuit to keep the rights to the name.

WEUS AM 810 station co-owner Carl Como said Guetzloe was being replaced by a third hour of conservative commentator Laura Ingraham's nationally syndicated show. He insisted his decision had nothing to do with Guetzloe's Tea Party politics.

"Anybody in this business would know that ratings are important, and we just weren't getting them," Como said. "I guess he can spin anything he wants."

Como said he also dismissed a part-time employee, Raul Pantoja of Orlando, because he had qualified as a Tea Party candidate for a House seat in Fort Myers and then gone on Guetzloe's show to discuss it.

Ira Chester, a 75-year-old retired state employee in Tallahassee, qualified to run for state agriculture commissioner as a Tea Party candidate against Democrat Scott Maddox and Republican Adam Putnam.

Chester, previously a registered Democrat, has been a frequent campaign contributor to Maddox since 2001 – a fact that Putnam's campaign said suggested they were working together.

Chester denied it.

Fl-oil-duh

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: "Business as usual."

That's what the oil industry asked for in trooping up to Capitol Hill to testify to a U.S. House committee that the Gulf oil spill is such a rare event that there's no reason to do anything differently.

That's an insult.

And it's flat wrong.

Meek agin' Greene

"Kendrick Meek and Jeff Greene to square off in debate". See also "Democrats hope Tuesday debate gives candidates more name recognition".

SD 12

"Another write-in candidate has joined the increasingly crowded race to represent Florida Senate District 12. Kimberly Renspie of Carrollwood Village submitted her papers Friday, listing assets of $2,500." "Another write-in candidate joins state Senate District 12 race".

Chamber poll

"A new Florida Chamber of Commerce poll suggests Charlie Crist may be widening his lead over Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Kendrick Meek in the U.S. Senate race."

Where other recent polls showed Crist barely edging out Rubio, the June 9-13 survey of 607 likely voters by the Florida Chamber of Commerce Political Institute and Cherry Communications found 42 percent backing Crist, 31 percent Rubio and 14 percent Meek. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

It also found Rick Scott leading Bill McCollum for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, 35 percent to 30 percent; and both Republicans leading Democrat Alex Sink and independent Lawton "Bud" Chiles III. For the general election, Scott and McCollum were favored by 31 percent and 30 percent respectively, while Chief Financial Officer Sink drew 26 percent and Chiles 15 percent.

"Moving in the right direction"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "Gov. Charlie Crist is moving in the right direction now that he has left the Republican Party and freed himself from pandering to its conservative base."

Last week, the independent candidate for the U.S. Senate eased his stance on Cuba. Then he said he no longer supports Florida's ban on gay couples adopting children. Crist's transformation may be about politics. But the governor is lending his voice to decency and moving Florida forward.

Crist embraced President Barack Obama's decision last year to relax travel barriers for Cuban-Americans who wish to visit their relatives on the island. Crist supports the Democratic administration's decision to retain the trade embargo, but to allow Cuban-Americans to freely visit relatives on the island and to send money. Former President George W. Bush imposed tough restrictions limiting family visits to one every three years. He also limited how much money Cuban-Americans could send.

Bush's restrictions were an affront to the right Americans have to travel freely and without government interference. They also kept families apart, adding to the misery that Cubans have suffered for generations.

Marco misstep

"At a forum last week for statewide candidates, Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio reiterated his position in favor of offshore oil drilling, arguing that it will help America achieve energy independence. But a study completed earlier this year for the Florida legislature undercuts that argument, especially for the portions of the Gulf of Mexico closest to Florida." "Report undercuts Rubio claims about offshore drilling".

But even as the attorney general touts his plan to freeze tax rates for local governments, he won't forgo hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money for his campaign.

"There's going to be a $6 billion shortfall -- or more with the oil spill -- in state government alone,'' McCollum said in a Tampa Bay area TV interview.

"I want to ask everybody to pull in that belt. Am I going to take some taxpayer-matching funds? Yes I am, because I've got an opponent now who's a multi, multimillionaire,'' McCollum said. "He's spending unlimited wealth and I'm going to have maybe $6 or $7 million to spend.''

"After 30 years on the government payroll, Bill McCollum cannot find enough Floridians who are enthusiastic about his candidacy, ideas and vision to finance a statewide campaign,'' said Jen Baker, spokeswoman for the Rick Scott campaign. "Now he is asking taxpayers to bankroll his inept campaign out of some entitlement to hold onto power.''

McCollum is also taking heat for two semi-mysterious and supposedly independent political committees, the Alliance for America's Future and the Florida First Initiative, which have spent about $2 million on TV ads attacking Scott. Though McCollum has solicited contributions for their efforts, his campaign fundraiser is raising money for one of them, and his TV buyer is buying their TV time, McCollum says he does not know much about them.

"We don't run them, we don't maintain them, they're not my organizations,'' the attorney general said. "We're not violating the law, and any way we can encourage compliance with it, it will be done.''

"Bill McCollum is either lying or has a split personality,'' Baker said, scoffing at his suggestion that his campaign is unaware of what Florida First Initiative is up to.

labeling it "welfare for politicians."

But that system – which took effect in 1987 -- might be the only thing that keeps the once-frontrunning GOP candidate Attorney General Bill McCollum from getting nuked out of the governor's race.

Unclean hands

Randy Schultz: "Some politicians come to the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster with, pardon the expression, clean hands. You will not be surprised to know that most don't. You also will not be surprised to know that those who don't want to wash that record away."

Return with us to 2008, when Republicans were chanting "Drill, baby, drill!" at the party's convention to nominate John McCain and Sarah Palin. ...

Mr. Obama has his own timing problem. About a month before the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, he called for more offshore drilling, because Republicans in the Senate wouldn't support an energy bill designed to combat global warming unless it allowed more domestic drilling. ...

Then there's Gov. Crist. Until mid-2008, when his name popped up on Sen. McCain's short list to complete the ticket, the governor - like most leading politicians in Florida, regardless of party - opposed oil drilling closer to the coast than the 125-mile barrier Congress created in 2006.

As soon as Sen. McCain backed more drilling, however, so did Gov. Crist. ...

Finally, there's George LeMieux, whom Gov. Crist appointed to fill the Senate seat that the governor once expected to win easily. He's bashing the Obama administration on the drilling response. Sen. LeMieux would like Floridians to forget that in 2009 he was a paid advisor to the group seeking to lift the state drilling ban.

So let's end with the two people who do have clean hands: U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, and Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater, a Republican.

Raw sewage

"Raw sewage closes Biscayne Bay to swimmers".

RPOFer echo chamber

"If the rest of Florida sounded like the crowds huddled at the state Republican Party quarterly business meeting, GOP gubernatorial hopeful Bill McCollum wouldn't be facing a potential primary defeat to a health-care millionaire waging his first race for public office."

Around the Hyatt Tampa Bay, signs adorned the halls that read "Bush would vote for Bill McCollum." Longtime political allies spoke well of the man from Longwood who spent two decades in Congress, who helped lead the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, and as Florida attorney general, launched a 20-state legal challenge to the federal health-care reform Congress passed.

But every day seems to deliver more evidence that Naples GOP newcomer Rick Scott has cemented himself as the front-runner among politician-weary voters. The latest proof: A Florida Chamber of Commerce poll last week found Scott with a 35 percent-to-30 percent edge over McCollum, thanks to the $15 million campaign-ad splurge Scott personally bankrolled.

explain the 44 percent to 31 percent in the poll of Florida Republicans? Do they dislike McCollum [who "has labored for years to reach the level of hack politician"], who has been endorsed by party golden boy and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, that much?

You hesitate to bring in the dumbness factor, like the one that must have been at work last week in South Carolina when Democratic voters selected as their U.S. Senate candidate a man who is facing a felony charge, raised no money and was a complete unknown.

More likely: Right now Scott is oozing along on the color of green as money once again proves to be at least as much a factor as character or anything else in Florida politics.

Alex Sink, the Democratic candidate for governor, is as uninspiring as McCollum. She is lucky not to have a Scott in her own party primary. At this rate she might well end up facing Scott in November anyway — and unless she gets better campaign stuff, it will not go well for her.

At least Gov. Charlie Crist, now running as an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate, is interesting: You never know what he'll do or say next. Also interesting is Marco Rubio, the Republican front-runner for the Senate.

Which is the more interesting matchup vs. Sink in November — McCollum or Scott? Is the U.S. Senate race more interesting with Greene in there against Crist and Rubio, or with Meek?

"Two-front battle"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "You don't need statistics to know that Florida's homeowners are among the hardest hit by the one-two punch of the housing crash and Great Recession. Just tour the Tampa Bay area and count the 'Bank Foreclosure' signs. The state has hundreds of thousands of foreclosures pending and one of the nation's highest rates of homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth. Now government is simultaneously punishing some of those responsible and helping some homeowners struggling to hold on." "A two-front battle against mortgage meltdown".

"Official Monster Raving Loony Party, USA"

The Tallahassee Democrat editorial board: "Friday was a big day in elections circles, with candidates putting their qualifying fees on the table and locking in announcements made weeks ago of their intentions to run for public office."

If ever there was a robust election season, this is it. Candidates are breaking out of the traditional two-party mold, going independent, going rogue as one might expect of, say, the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, USA — a clique of dubious but colorful origins.

Even those with traditional party affiliations must make fine distinctions. The Republican primary for Congress, for example, includes five candidates hoping to either unseat incumbent Allen Boyd, a Democrat, or take on Boyd challenger Al Lawson. The five, any one of whom could be nominated by as little as 21 percent of the vote since we have winner-take-all primaries in Florida, offer five interpretations of what it means to be a Republican in 2010.

"Unpredictable campaigns, predictable answers"

Thomas Tryon: "Unpredictable campaigns, predictable answers from the campaigners."

That's a seven-word summary of Thursday's seven-candidate, political marathon in Sarasota.

For the first time, most of the major candidates running for governor and U.S. Senate were at the same venue.

If politics were big-league baseball, it would have Opening Day: The candidates have been in training and engaging in exhibitions, but the campaign season went into full swing with the event and the end of the qualifying period on Friday.

"Florida dream-machine is on the brink of disaster"

Stephen Goldstein writes that

the Florida dream-machine is on the brink of disaster. Our consciousness has shifted from the headiness of Florida's East Coast to the West Coast and the environmental Armageddon in the Gulf. From the water's surface to its deepest depth, the seeds of likely devastation loom. And ultimately, whether our precious ecosystem is mildly scarred or miraculously spared, the days of our heady self-confidence are over — except for the most incorrigible Pollyannas.

Speaking of "incorrigible Pollyannas" ...

... Kingsley Guy writes that "Lower tax burden leaves Florida better off than other states".

Whenever Florida starts to fall apart, all we have to do is demand help from the rest of the Nation (in the form of federal assistance). After all, "southern states have been benefiting from Northern taxes for years". I-got-miners like Guy "love to preach about fiscal responsibility and lower taxes, but they keep dipping their beak into the Federal trough. ... the applicable Southern phrase is 'a handful of gimme and a mouthful of much obliged.'"

RPOFer laff riot

"Eager to shed scandals of ousted chairman Jim Greer and distance themselves from renegade Gov. Charlie Crist, Florida Republicans started revising their rules in a show of openness Saturday and plotted strategy to capitalize on voter anger at politicians."

"It's an exorcism," said Allison DeFoor, a Wakulla County state committeeman. "They're putting those guys behind them."

Neither leader's name was mentioned often during the first quarterly State Executive Committee meeting since Greer's felony indictment on six charges, including grand theft and money laundering, and Crist's decision to run for the U.S. Senate as an independent.

U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, formerly Crist's chief of staff, said he supports Rubio "because he has the courage of his convictions, who'll go up there to Washington and say no, who'll make hard decisions."

But LeMieux said he didn't mean that as a slam at Crist, who appointed him to the Senate when Sen. Mel Martinez resigned last year.

Crossing the line

"State Sen. Al Lawson angrily snatched a video camera from a young campaign worker for U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd on Saturday, complaining that the congressman 'crossed the line' in their Big Bend congressional campaign by invading his private political space." "Lawson confronts Boyd staffer who 'crossed the line'".

Overhaul

"Sixty days into the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the command structure for the response is getting an overhaul." "Response command structure changing".

"Political sparks have been flying"

The Tampa Tribune editorial board: "In theory, the prestigious panel is insulated from improper pressure and politics, much like a judge. In practice, some of the political wires have been stripped bare by campaign contributions the utilities have made to loyal lawmakers. Political sparks have been flying." "Put 'public' back in Public Service Commission".

"A welcome show of independence" from Sink

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board:

Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink's support for easing the state's class size requirements for public schools is a welcome show of independence from the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor. She also happens to be on the right side of the issue in supporting Amendment 8, the constitutional amendment placed on the November ballot by the Republican-led Legislature.

"The right call and a big relief"

The Saint Petersburg Times editorial board: "The Supreme Court’s 8-0 ruling siding with the government over beachfront property owners in the Panhandle probably saved the state’s long-standing program that restores beaches and protects the shoreline from severe erosion. It was the right call and a big relief to the state’s $65 billion tourism industry." "A good day for the beaches".

"A certain amount of gall"

Howard Troxler: "It takes a certain amount of gall to run a company that systematically ripped off the U.S. government, the taxpayers and the sick and weak — and then to run for governor of Florida."

"Riskier investment bets"

"Chasing bigger investment returns, the agency that manages Florida's $113.8 billion public pension fund wants to make far riskier investment bets. The state wants to reduce the pension fund's holdings in publicly traded stocks and bonds and triple its allocation to hedge funds and other private investments that are less liquid and harder to value." "Florida rolls the dice with chunk of pension funds".

Blood sports

Fred Grimm writes that "Floridians imagine ourselves as residents of a modern, civilized state that would never condone redneck dog owners sending packs of baying hounds into fenced enclosures to chase and maul foxes or coyotes." "Blood sport doesn't belong in civil society".