Brown stays put in Jax, to take on Lawson

"U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown won’t run in a new Orlando congressional seat but instead intends to remain in Jacksonville and seek election in the newly drawn House district that extends west to Tallahassee, according to The Tampa Bay Times."

"Brown’s decision puts her on a collision course with former state senator Al Lawson of Tallahassee, who announced he’ll run in the new Fifth Congressional District." "Corinne Brown to run in Jacksonville."




"What's hot, crazy or shady about politics in the Sunshine State"

Marc Caputo: "Gyrocopter mailman v. Wasserman Schultz – Rubio calms donors – Jeb defends his sweaters (really)." "Florida Playbook."




Putnam takes swipe at law limiting gun access for those charged with stalking, drug dealing or having undergone inpatient mental-health treatment

"Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam took at swipe Tuesday at Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring for ending that state’s policy which allows residents to get a concealed weapons’ permit in Florida and carry a gun legally at home."

Herring, a Democrat, ended reciprocity agreements with Florida and 24 other states. The move bars Virginians charged with stalking, drug dealing or having undergone inpatient mental-health treatment from getting a permit in a state with looser gun regulations.

"Florida’s Putnam takes swipe at Virginia attorney general over gun crackdown."




"Rubio flip-flops"

The Sun Sentinel editors: "Marco Rubio flip-flops on helping Puerto Rico."




"Still-unknown opposition"

"With it becoming increasingly likely that Florida voters will be asked again to legalize medical marijuana, the group behind the ballot initiative must prepare for still-unknown opposition." "Who will fight medical-marijuana initiative this time?."




"Jeb can’t attack Trump without triangulating"

Peter Beinart: "The strange, sad tale of Donald Trump and Jeb Bush continues."

After first trying to ignore the billionaire bigot, and then getting humiliated by him, Jeb is now making his willingness to stand up to Trump the centerpiece of his campaign. He’s just released an ad entitled “The Only One,” in which he slams Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Chris Christie (a sure sign that Christie’s surge in New Hampshire is real) for not attacking Trump. By contrast, the ad shows Jeb lustily going after the GOP frontrunner, while words like “chaos candidate,” “unhinged,” and “liberal” flash onto the screen.

At first glance, this seems laudable. But there are a couple of problems. For starters, Jeb can’t attack Trump without triangulating. In his ad, Jeb doesn’t merely denounce Trump for endorsing Vladimir Putin’s murder of journalists. He also denounces him for being “liberal.”

This summer, when Trump was calling undocumented Mexican immigrants “rapists,” Jeb did something similar. He said Trump’s immigration policies would “violate people’s civil liberties” but also that they’re “not grounded in conservative principles” because they’ll cost too much.

It’s like saying George Wallace was a bad presidential candidate because he opposed African American equality and because he supported too much government spending.

When told of Trump’s comments about Hillary’s “disgusting” trip to the bathroom during the Democratic presidential debate, Jeb did it again. He said that, “Trump is not going to be president because he says these things, it turns people off.” But he added that, “This will enhance her victimology status. This is what she loves doing.” More triangulation.

In Jeb’s view, Trump was wrong to insult to Hillary for, essentially, being a woman, and Hillary was equally wrong for being insulted.

"Why Jeb Bush's Attacks on Donald Trump Miss Their Mark."