Romney clobbering Gingrich in VSS Florida poll

Kevin Derby: "Two weeks away from the Presidential Preference Primary, Mitt Romney holds a commanding lead over the Republican presidential pack in Florida, according to a Sunshine State News Poll of likely primary voters."

Romney tops the poll, which was conducted by Harrisburg, Pa.-based Voter Survey Service (VSS), with 46 percent. When he ran in the 2008 primary, Romney placed second in Florida, taking 31 percent and winning 18 of the 67 counties in the Sunshine State. ...

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich places a distant second with 20 percent. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, who lost the Iowa caucus to Romney by eight votes, takes third with 12 percent. ...

The poll of 1,266 likely Republican primary voters was taken Jan. 11-14 and had a margin of error of +/- 2.75 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.

"Mitt Romney Routing the GOP Pack in Florida, Sunshine State News Poll Shows".




"Fliers purportedly sent by an inactive political committee whose chairman is dead"

"Eight months before Election Day, state Rep. Ana Rivas Logan — who has yet to draw an opponent — is getting attacked in campaign fliers purportedly sent by an inactive political committee whose chairman is dead."

Logan is one of several local state representatives whose new legislative districts will likely be redrawn this year to include another, fellow Miami Republican — in her case, Rep. Jose Felix Diaz — setting up an intra-party battle over who will keep the seat. ...

"It’s an illegal piece, totally, totally illegal," said Logan, who also said she reported the fliers to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. She added that older, Hispanic constituents have told her about a Spanish-language robocall attacking her.

"Ana Rivas Logan voted for higher taxes," one mailer says in bold, red letters in English and Spanish. The other one reads, "Can we afford Ana Rivas Logan?"

The pieces refer to a 2005 vote Logan took as a Miami-Dade School Board member. The board lowered its property-tax rate, but because property values had risen so much, homeowners paid slightly more in taxes.

Logan was the sole Republican on the School Board to vote for the tax rate, which she said allowed the school district to pay new teachers higher salaries the board had promised.

"Mudslinging begins in state race in Miami".




"Bipartisan jitters"

"After a long-fought battle to impose redistricting standards, proponents of the Fair Districts constitutional amendments have new maps — and they're not what they had hoped for."

But the first maps to be voted on by the full Senate this week are not unexpected either.

The maps — one for the state Senate, the other for Congress — each leave intact the controversial minority districts that consolidate Democratic voters in oddly shaped districts. They have deeply divided the Democratic caucus and have forced Democrats to rely on the court to sort the issue out.

"Redistricting brings bipartisan jitters". See also "Capitol Buzz: It’s all about redistricting".

Meanwhile, "Weatherford Sets Jan. 27 Vote in Redistricting Timeline", "Legislature's redistricting handiwork destined for courts" and "Legislature's redistricting handiwork destined for courts".




"Top five things to watch"

Mary Ellen Klas: "Florida lawmakers return to the Capitol Tuesday ... Here are the top five things to watch:"

• Redistricting.

• Water Supply.

• Internet cafes.

• Insurance.

• Nursing Homes.

"Capitol Buzz: 5 things to watch today in Tallahassee".




Romney's pals buy ink by the barrel

The Tampa Bay Times editorial board: "Two weeks from today , Florida Republicans have an opportunity to effectively end a disappointing presidential primary season and focus the nation on a pivotal general election. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the winner of the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, is the candidate best prepared to make the Republicans’ case that change is needed in the White House." "Romney for Republicans".




"Effort to collect sales tax from online retailers gains momentum"

"An effort to collect sales tax from online retailers, like Amazon, gains momentum in the Florida Legislature." "Tallahassee battle lines drawn over Internet sales tax".




"Loosely worded contracts are costing the state lots of money"

The Tampa Tribune editors write that Atwater "has good reason to suspect that loosely worded contracts are costing the state lots of money. His misgiving is based on a review of 364 contracts and grant agreements, each worth at least $1 million, for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. After putting the fine print in each contract under his magnifying glass, Atwater reports that 26 percent had problems that were potentially costly." "Give state contracts an expert once-over".




Blah, blah, blah

"The Florida Constitution is silent on the question of whether citizens have an absolute right to be heard, so the Legislature is now involved." "Florida citizens deserve right to speak at public meetings".




Even the Times gets it

The Tampa Bay Times editors: "Corporate America continues to game the system at the expense of taxpayers and the economy. Too many corporations are exploiting a tax loophole to shower their top executives with excessive pay — and avoid billions of dollars in tax payments in the process." "Gaming the system at nation's expense".




"Putnam treads carefully"

"Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam wants lawmakers to develop a comprehensive energy policy for Florida — a topic they've shelved for several years." "Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam treads carefully with new energy policy".