Taking heat from both blacks and Hispanics, Crist was branded an egotist whose efforts to undermine Kendrick Meek and Marco Rubio smacked of racial insensitivity.

If Crist had raised the tiniest finger in aid of either minority group during his term in the Florida governor's office, it certainly was lost to the public consciousness in October 2010.

Shortly after, Crist was out of the limelight, outsider Rick Scott was elected governor and the measure of resentment Scott endured following a close primary and general election was palpable and lingering. It wasn't just the Democrats. Establishment Republicans, strong supporters of Bill McCollum, Scott's opponent in the primary, were slow to come around. Scott was like the lonely boy at the head of the class in a new inner-city school.

During much of 2011, the comparisons drawn between his actions in office and Crist's were often unfairly and brutally unfavorable to the new governor.

Perhaps the issue that got the most out of hand was minority hiring.

After Scott had served less than nine months in office, the Times-Herald declared in a large headline, "Gov. Rick Scott has hired fewer minority staffers than Charlie Crist, Florida Cabinet officials."

Not really.

"Crist's environmental record"

"Some environmentalists this week fondly recalled Charlie Crist's environmental record as governor despite GOP attempts to characterize the former Republican as an opportunist." "Environmentalists recall Crist's 'green' record as governor; GOP tries to raise doubts".

Word Games

"The general counsels for the Florida Senate and Florida House charge that the authors of the proposed medical marijuana amendment engaged in wordsmithing in their uncommon use of the terms 'debilitating,' 'caregivers' and 'certain.' In a brief filed with the Supreme Court in support of the Attorney General's request to block the proposal from the ballot, they also argued the amendment would block a patient's ability to seek redress in a court of law. " "Bondi, Gaetz, Weatherford go to court to block marijuana initiative".

Scott Luvin' the Federal Handouts

"Fla. Gov. announces more than $2 million in grants".

Charlie Hangs with Barack

"President Obama arrived in Miami Friday afternoon to headline three Democratic Party fundraisers hosted by the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and, in a surprise move met with Cuban dissidents."

Florida’s newest high-profile Democrat, former Gov. Charlie Crist, was spotted at the Segovia Tower in Coral Gables at a $32,000-a-head fundraiser hosted by personal injury attorney Ralph G. Patino.

Obama told two of Cuba’s leading dissidents in South Florida that he admires their sacrifices, a rare White House recognition of the peaceful opposition on the communist-ruled island.

Gaetz’s Week in Review

"Don Gaetz’s Senate Week in Review".

Pafford says Medicaid expansion is an issue a candidate can win on

"The incoming leader of Florida House Democrats said he intends to make Medicaid expansion an issue during the spring legislative session and the 2014 election cycle. Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, said Democratic victories in a special House race in Pasco County and mayoral races elsewhere show that Medicaid expansion is an issue that a candidate can run on and win." "Pafford: Medicaid expansion will be an issue".

Rubio gets a pass

"The Republican-controlled House has refused to take up the bipartisan Democratic-controlled Senate bill that passed earlier this year. And now time has essentially run out." "It’s all but guaranteed: Immigration reform is dead for 2013.". Meanwhile, "Rubio shores up right after immigration fight".

Earlier in the week, the Sun Sentinel asked if "Rubio's 2016 presidential hopes toast?"

Dems say November 2013 results spell problems for Florida Republicans

William March writes: "Democrats nationwide exulted this week over Tuesday wins in elections nationwide ranging from governor of Virginia to St. Petersburg mayor, saying those results forecast voters turning away from Republicans in the November, 2014 elections."

Democratic operatives said the results spell problems for Republicans, including Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who is facing re-election in 2014.

“Voters are going to suffer some buyer's remorse from the 2010 elections,” the Republican wave that brought in Scott, said Colm O'Comartun of the party's gubernatorial campaign committee. “It's going to be very difficult for Republicans to get away from their unpopular brand and tea party policies.”

In general, voters' feelings about national parties don't always translate into votes in local races, say political experts. They differed, for example, on whether the national mood had anything to do with Democrat Rick Kriseman's victory over Republican incumbent Bill Foster in a non-partisan race Tuesday.

“The more local the race, the more local the issues are and the less national trends affect it,” said New College of Florida political scientist Frank Alcock.

And even if Democrats' Tuesday wins showed disaffection with the tea party and government shutdown movement, those memories could easily fade, or be replaced with different views, by the Nov. 4, 2014, election day.

Medicaid-fraud scheme

"Gregory Campbell, the son of Miami Democratic state Rep. Daphne Campbell, was convicted by a jury Friday in a nearly $300,000 Medicaid-fraud scheme." "State lawmaker’s son convicted of Medicaid fraud".

They have plenty of ammunition to use against the former governor, attorney general, education commissioner and legislator who has morphed from a law-and-order Republican to a populist Democrat.

Yet his announcement speech Monday showed why it is possible Florida voters might consider a reformulated Crist and why his entry into the race has made former lawmaker Nan Rich’s bid to become the Democratic candidate for governor seem all but irrelevant.

Crist has always seemed driven more by what he thinks voters want than political ideology, and the St. Petersburg native clearly thinks Floridians are weary of the harsh partisan divide that dominates politics today. He offers a middle ground, at least in tone.

He chided Gov. Rick Scott for slashing education funding. He also notably promised to seek a revival of the high-speed rail project that Scott killed shortly after taking office. That issue might find some traction in the I-4 region, where the Tampa to Orlando route was projected to be an economic boon.

But Scott’s well-financed campaign will make sure the man who chose to leave the governor’s office to run for the U.S. Senate, and who selected disgraced Jim Greer as head of the Republican Party of Florida, faces a lot of troubling questions in the coming months. As Crist essentially acknowledged, he’s going to be in for a rough ride. But we give him credit for a smooth start.

More: "GOP Cranks Up Attacks on Charlie Crist as Florida Dems Claim Momentum". See also "Rick Scott's Camp, Charlie Crist and Nan Rich Exchange Fire".

Sink walk off

"Even as Alex Sink faces an easier path to the Democratic nomination in a special election for an open seat in Congress, Republicans are helping her cause by staying out of the contest."

Bill Young may have held the seat for 43 years before his death in October but his fellow Republicans aren’t exactly lining up to run for it now. On Thursday, Frank Hibbard, the former mayor of Clearwater, said he was not running for the Republican nomination for the seat. Hibbard joins several other big-name Republicans like Jeff Brandes, Rick Baker, and Jack Latvala by staying out of the contest. It’s also increasingly looking that members of Young’s family will remain on the sidelines.

More: "Ehrlich won’t challenge Sink in race for Young’s House seat".

Stand Your Ground stands

"Effort fails to repeal ‘Stand Your Ground’". See also "Stand Your Ground repeal voted down in committee", "Gaetz, Thurston clash over 'stand your ground' repealer", "Florida lawmakers defeat ‘ stand your ground’ repeal" and "House panel votes down 'stand your ground' repealer".

Disney sets profit records

On the eve of collective bargaining with some of its biggest union, we read that "Powered by parks, Walt Disney Co. sets sales, profit records".

Weinstein will remain in party finance post

"Democratic candidate for governor Nan Rich, who’s challenging Charlie Crist in the Democratic primary for governor, appears to have lost a round in her battle for respect from the state Democratic Party."

The party’s finance chairman, prominent Broward County lawyer Andrew Weinstein, will remain in that voluntary post despite Rich’s complaints that he helped set up a fundraiser for Crist.

Party officials usually are expected to remain neutral in their party’s primary contests.

As the Tampa Tribune reported Tuesday, the day of the fundraiser in Fort Lauderdale, Rich said she was told in conversations with state party Chair Allison Tant and executive director Scott Arceneaux that Weinstein had been asked to resign from the voluntary position as the party’s top fundraiser.

State backs off subpoena

"A subpoena for the notes and audio recordings of WFSU reporter Lynn Hatter as part of a fraud investigation into a group [insurance agents] providing false information about the federal health care law has been withdrawn by the Department of Financial Services." "Atwater agency pulls subpoena of reporter".

What's wrong with Hillsborough?

"Norma Reno struggled to regain her composure Wednesday after Hillsborough County Commissioners killed her hopes of adding a Hispanic-leaning commission district through a voter referendum." "Bid for single-member district fails at Hillsborough commission".

"Sunshine State still trails the top-ranked states"

"Florida's fourth and eighth graders mastered basic academic skills this year better than counterparts two years ago, but the Sunshine State still trailed the top-ranked states whose ranks it wants to join, according to national tests results . . . ." "Florida students improve on math, reading skills".

"Is this really a winning strategy?"

Paula Dockery writes that, "With the 2014 election for governor a year away, former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist announced his intention to run again — this time as a Democrat."

And Republicans were quick to pounce, calling him … gasp … an opportunist!

I don’t know how many voters they hope to rile up with this incendiary accusation. They’re willing to bet pretty heavily, dropping a half-million dollars on their “opportunist” campaign blitz.

News flash: Most voters think all politicians are opportunists. In fact, I looked up “opportunist” in Roget’s A-Z Thesaurus. After listing numerous synonyms, including “self-seeker” and “go-getter,” it said, “See also businessperson, politician, rascal.”

Is this really a winning strategy?

Crist, once a darling of the Republican Party, ran with its blessing for numerous positions: the Florida Senate, education commissioner, U.S. Senate, attorney general and governor.

Was he an opportunist during those election attempts? No, he was a rising star of the party.

The lesson to be learned here: You can run for numerous offices as long as you don’t switch teams. Much like a professional athlete, you might be beloved on Team A but ridiculed and despised on Team B. Switching teams is the ultimate sin, even if you are no longer welcome on your current team.

But the electorate does not want hyper-partisanship and gridlock. Voters are registering “no party affiliation” in record numbers in Florida. Polls are showing that a majority of voters want cooperation and compromise. Fewer voters are identifying as far right or far left on the political spectrum. Voters want their elected officials to listen to them and to be willing to negotiate on their behalf.

The governor should be in a position of strength. He has the power of incumbency, a huge campaign checkbook and an improving economy. But by sticking to its current strategy, the party apparatus, once under Crist’s control, is signaling weakness. The party’s nasty attacks show worry. It also is playing into his hands.

Crist is a skilled political campaigner who sees the changing political tides. He threw his hat in the ring because the opportunity presented itself for someone to step in and change the tone of politics. Voters want to replace anger and hatred with “nice.”

And no one is going to out-nice Charlie.

2 percent of Florida

"The Mormon church stands to own nearly 2 percent of Florida by completing a deal to buy most of the real estate of the St. Joe Co. for more than a half-billion dollars." "Mormon church-owned company buys huge swath of Florida land". See also "St. Joe Co. announces sale of 382,834 acres to Mormon Church affiliate".

Lesbian custody battle

"The Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a woman who donated an egg to her lesbian partner has parental rights to the child and is ordering a lower court to work out custody, child support and visitation arrangements." "Fla. Supreme Court settles lesbian custody battle". See also "Florida high court: Birth mom denied rights to egg donor ex-partner".

"If McAuliffe can break the streak [in Virginia], might the playbook apply to another diverse battleground state also twice won by Obama? Florida Democrats, who haven’t controlled the governor’s mansion since 1998, are plotting to characterize Gov. Rick Scott as similarly extreme, reminding voters of his tea party ties and positions on immigration, abortion and voting rights."

The goal is to turn off moderate Republicans and independent voters in Florida the way they are being repelled in Virginia.

McAuliffe, a master fundraiser, has vastly outspent Cuccinelli on TV ads that have highlighted and sometimes distorted his conservative positions, particularly abortion. Scott has already raised more than $18 million and has pledged to pour $25 million early on to define his opponent.

“Rick Scott will not be outspent 2- to 3- to-1 down the stretch,” said David Johnson, a Republican consultant in Florida who countered that Crist’s past as a Republican would blunt any attacks on Scott.

“Running on issues of choice, life, abortion, Charlie Crist has a long record of being a ’Jeb Bush pro-life Republican,’ ” Johnson said. “I just don’t think it’s going to be successful.”

Dems keep St. Pete

"Kriseman beats Foster in St. Pete mayor race".

Goin' local

"After losing out to Mark Pafford to be the next leader of the Democrats in the Florida House, Alan Williams said he was thinking about running for local office. But by opening the door to leaving office, Williams, intentionally or not, let other Democratic candidates slip into the race for his House seat." "Alan Williams Closing the Door on Florida's House".

No fault

"The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee looked at a draft bill Tuesday to move from a no-fault auto insurance system to a system that only pays for the medical costs of those not at fault in an accident. A similar House version, HB 267, was also filed Tuesday as health and auto insurers and other special interests groups stake out tentative positions while prior reforms are taken up in court." "Lawmakers look at scrapping no-fault system despite favorable court ruling".

As FlaGOP wails, 1.6 million Floridians eligible for Obama care tax credits

"Once the federal health-insurance-exchange website starts working correctly, 1.6 million Floridians could find that they are eligible for tax credits, says a new study released Tuesday."

Florida ranks third, after Texas and California [still recovering from the Schwarzenegger years], for the state having the most residents that could get subsidies if they purchase coverage through the exchange, according to the report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit health-advocacy group.

State readies to launch new purge

"As the state readies to launch a new effort to scrub suspected noncitizens from the voter rolls, one key question remains: How many county supervisors of elections will join the effort after they essentially torpedoed a similar purge last year?" "Supervisors Key to Any Voter Purge Effort".

About Charlie

Nancy Smith: "Charlie Crist Hopes to Turn Trial Lawyers into Caring People". Jeff Henderson: "Can Charlie Crist Shape His Own Florida Democrats?".

Crist attacked from both the right and left

"With a year to go before the election, former Gov. Charlie Crist challenges Gov. Rick Scott. Both start trashing each other." "A full year of negative campaigning starts as Charlie Crist bids for governor". "A day after former Gov. Charlie Crist announced he was running again for governor, Republicans and his chief Democratic primary rival are turning up the heat on the new candidate." "Charlie Crist Faces Right and Left Attacks". Meanwhile, "Crist getting down to business of fundraising".

"Tallahassee couldn’t care less about SoFla"

Fabiola Santiago: "Tallahassee couldn’t care less about South Florida. . . . What else can explain the location of the Senate Gaming Committee hearings on the future of the gambling industry in Florida in places like Pensacola, Jacksonville and Lakeland when the issue has the potential to negatively affect the quality of life in Miami?" "Gambling interests turn deaf ear to Miami".

Weatherford and Gaetz are late to the game

The Sarasota Herald Tribune editorial board: "Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford and Senate President Don Gaetz have joined the debate over medical marijuana. But they might be too late."

The legislative leaders last week joined Attorney General Pam Bondi in challenging the ballot language of a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow Floridians to use marijuana for medical reasons.

Bondi has asked the Florida Supreme Court to block the proposal, which was put forward by a citizens group, from being put on the November 2014 statewide ballot.

Unfortunately, Weatherford and Gaetz didn't show as much interest in the medical marijuana issue when it came up in the Legislature last session. Bills introduced in the House and Senate that would have permitted the medical use of marijuana under strict conditions died in committees.

FlaGOP freaking as House Dems ramp up fundraising by more than 1,000%

"Mingling money, politics and legislation is nothing new in Tallahassee, but an email leaked last week provides a glimpse at just how much pressure Republican lawmakers are under to maintain their dominance in campaign fundraising."

Rep. Steve Crisafulli, who as incoming speaker for 2015-2016 oversees all Republican House races, scolded members for falling behind the pace of Democratic candidates.

“This is a trend that must be broken!” Crisafulli wrote in bold and underline before reminding Republicans that half of them had fallen short of a fundraising goal set earlier by the caucus. “Like you, I recognize fundraising is a commitment of time we would rather spend in other ways, but given the tough election year ahead, we MUST redouble our efforts so that everyone has the financial resources for victory.”

With a 75-45 margin, Republicans are clearly in charge of the House. And collectively, GOP House incumbents raised $1.5 million between July 1 and Sept. 30, or $188,000 more than they raised during the same period two years ago, the last nonelection year.

Additionally, they averaged $24,434 for the third quarter, dwarfing the $9,666 average raised by the 38 House Democrats seeking re-election.

So what has Crisafulli so concerned? The pace.

While Republicans increased their haul by a robust 13.6 percent from two years ago, House Democrats ramped up their take by more than 1,000 percent. Two years ago, these same House Democrats raised a paltry $4,133 per member during the third quarter, a fifth of what Republicans raised. Democrats still lag, but now are at about a third of what Republicans raised.

Charter madness

"Days after an Orange County charter school threatened to dismiss students for failing the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests, a state lawmaker has filed a legislative proposal that would ban the practice."

The school, Cornerstone Academy Charter School in Belle Isle, withdrew the threat after parents complained and reporters contacted the principal.

But state Rep. Shevrin Jones, D-West Park, says state law should have prevented it from happening in the first place.

“Charter schools should not be allowed to kick out students for failing the FCAT or whatever test they are being evaluated on,” Jones said. “Traditional public schools can’t do that. There is supposed to be an even playing field.”

So far, however, with almost exactly a year to go before the Nov. 4, 2014, election, they’re not yet living up to state party Chairman Allison Tant’s promise to compete strongly for the other three statewide elections on the ballot – seats on the Florida Cabinet.

Both are known and respected within the party, but neither has ever won a statewide election. One will take on Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Democrats have no well-known challenger, meantime, for either of the other two Republican Cabinet officials, agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater.

Record number of manatees have died this year

Tampa Trib editors: "The record number of Florida manatees that have died this year underscores the importance of continued protections for the seagoing mammal." "Manatee not out of danger".

Lobbyist and former Young staffer will run for CD 13 seat

"Former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker announced Saturday he won't run for the late U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young's congressional seat, depriving Republicans of the candidate some considered their strongest potential competitor for the position. With Baker out, David Jolly, lobbyist and former staffer for Young, said he will run for the District 13 seat in Pinellas County." "Baker won't run for Young seat; Jolly will".

Bogus 'high-crime-area' tax breaks

"Most people probably wouldn't consider downtown Miami's Omni neighborhood an especially dangerous place. Overlooking Biscayne Bay, the area is home to sleek condominium skyscrapers, a $470 million performing-arts center and the historic Miami Women's Club."

Yet when Publix Super Markets opened a store there last year, the Lakeland-based company snagged $79,000 in state tax breaks for creating jobs in an "urban high-crime area."

It's not the only example of a business in an appealing area dipping into the high-crime incentive pool — a practice attracting the scrutiny of state legislators. EverBank Financial Corp. just applied for $690,000 in high-crime tax credits after moving several hundred jobs from suburban locations in Duval County to a 32-story office tower in downtown Jacksonville. Fun Spot, the Orlando amusement-park owner, recently got $13,000 through the program for expanding its park in the International Drive tourist corridor.

"Rubio wants the Senate to keep praying"

"Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida wants the Senate to keep praying before lawmakers get down to business. Texas legislators, too, want their daily prayers."

And in an unexpected pew-sharing, the Obama administration has joined conservative state and federal lawmakers in urging the Supreme Court to tolerate prayers during government meetings.

"Nelson focuses on breaks for oil, pharmaceutical industries"

"For the second time in two years, a so-called "supercommittee" of U.S. House and Senate lawmakers — including U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson — has started working on a deal to break the gridlock on Capitol Hill and restore order to the budget process." "Nelson targets tax loopholes as member of new budget panel".