More: "Immigration Is Top Issue for President and Congress, Say Florida Latinos."

Weekly Roundup

"Ever since the departure of the Pork Chop Gang --- a cadre of North Florida lawmakers who ruled state government through the middle part of the 20th Century --- the northern reaches of the state have sometimes seemed like second-tier parts of Florida." "Weekly Roundup: The North Rises Again."

Don't do us any favors, Mr. Rubio

"Rubio says he’s not interested in being vice president."

Airbnb's tax games

"The Florida Department of Revenue and tax collectors in Pinellas and four other counties have signed agreements with online home-booking agency Airbnb to collect and remit potentially millions of dollars in tourist-tax revenue that until four months ago went unpaid."

Those agreements mean that people seeking a break through Airbnb on the rising cost of hotel and motel rooms will be paying more per night because state and local tourist taxes will be tacked onto their bills.

But on the other side of the ledger, how much the online home-booking agency will be collecting and turning in each month remains an open question because of Airbnb’s insistence that the names of people renting out property on its platform be kept secret.

Airbnb even insists that its agreements with government agencies remain secret. And it wants the state and counties to forfeit any potential taxes owed prior to executing the agreements. - See more at: http://www.tbo.com/news/politics/airbnb-starts-paying-florida-taxes-but-still-plays-by-different-rules-20160422/#sthash.rls4kKGy.dpuf

Learn Tampa-Cuba history

"A trail through Tampa-Cuba history."

"work isn’t over for presidential hopefuls in the Sunshine State"

"Donald Trump may have won the Florida primary, but the work isn’t over for presidential hopefuls in the Sunshine State." "Florida GOP Heads to Final Stretch of Delegate Selection."

PBC School Board member resigns

"Palm Beach County School Board member Mike Murgio resigned Friday following a federal indictment accusing him of bribery."

His departure creates a vacancy on the seven-person board. His District 1 seat was up for re-election and before his arrest, Murgio planned to run as an incumbent. Instead, in a letter sent to school board chairman Chuck Shaw, Murgio wrote he was stepping down because his "personal situation" may create a distraction for the board and the school district.

Opt out "slow to grow" in Miami-Dade

"While thousands across the country boycott standardized tests in schools, the Opt Out movement has struggled to gain traction in Miami-Dade." "Movement to ‘opt out’ of standardized testing slow to grow in Miami-Dade schools."

Graham, a Democrat from Tallahassee who unseated two-term Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Panama City, in 2014, announced her potential gubernatorial bid Thursday morning in a slick YouTube video emailed to supporters.

“Our state government is just dysfunctional,” she said. “And this causes me to rethink how I can best serve the people of North Florida and our state. Floridians are hungry for new leadership, and I’m so excited to tell your first that I’m seriously considering running for governor in 2018.”

Graham, a pragmatist who has upset some in her party for siding with the GOP on issues from the Keystone XL pipeline to President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, touted her accomplishments in Congress.

See also "Another Graham for Florida governor? U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham announces potential run," "Another Graham for governor? U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham announces potential run" and "Florida Rep. Gwen Graham announces possible run for governor."

RPOF wigs out

"Cruise giant Carnival Corp. on Friday said it had been cleared by the Cuban government to bring Cuban-born travelers to the country, ending a controversy that threatened to upend its plans to launch the first USA to Cuba voyages in more than 50 years." "Cuban-born travelers cleared to cruise to Cuba." See also "Cuba will allow Cuban-born to arrive on Carnival cruise ship."

All about Trump

"It’s all about Donald Trump at GOP meeting, even without him there."

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

Marc Caputo: "The RNC’s Florida takeaway – Wasserman Schultz goes after Canova – DCCC’s marital-rape attack v. Rep. Mica – Feds indict South Florida school board member." "Florida Playbook."

"Something a little off at GOP gala"

Tom Jackson: "By all outward signs, the annual Pasco Republican Reagan Day dinner was business as usual: Every ticket (all 450) was sold, filling Spartan Manor’s main ballroom; the opening ceremonies were reverently observed; the prime rib entree and carrot cake chaser were enthusiastically received; the live auction (involving mostly firearms) was ardently contested; and the whole thing wrapped up in time to get the attendees home in time for Hannity."

There was, nonetheless, something ... off. Something unsettling. Something atmospheric. Something just beyond the grasp.

Can't stop . . .

"U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw’s campaign was raising large sums of money and paying political consultants until just before he decided to retire after eight terms in Congress." "Crenshaw continued raising funds until retirement announcement."

Soto gets support

"The Florida Senate Democratic Caucus endorsed their colleague Darren Soto for Congress Thursday. State Sen. Soto, D-Kissimmee, received the backing of 11 of his 13 fellow state Senate Democrats in his race for the party nomination in the 9th U.S. congressional district including including former Senate President Gwen Margolis, Minority Leader Arthenia Joyner and Minority Leader-elect Oscar Braynon." "Democratic state Senate caucus endorses Soto for Congress."

"He really is a member of the Angry Party"

"He looked and sounded like someone who wanted to pick a fight. Maybe he does. He said his name is Carlos Beruff."

I suspect he is just using the Republican Party as a place holder because he really is a member of the Angry Party. His message seems to be that we should vote for him because we’re all angry too. Anger is the fastest-growing political movement in the country, and Beruff sure speaks the language.

Look at that face. Listen to that voice. Imagine a father waiting on the front porch two hours after his daughter was supposed to be home from a date — except this time the father wants to be a senator.

His website describes him as “a businessman who is fed up with the status quo in Washington.” He is a successful home builder and developer who has served on a few boards in Manatee County. He’s a budget hawk, vowing to eliminate waste wherever he sees it — and he sees it a lot.

But here’s the punch line: Beruff says we need “to take the country back.” I didn’t know it had gone anywhere, but the candidate obviously believes it has taken the first handbasket south to Hades. Because of that, Beruff says we need to send him to the Senate because he’ll straighten that whole thing out.

Maybe Beruff’s message resonates with enough Floridians to get elected, or maybe not. The bigger message leaders of both major parties better receive in a hurry is that the anger isn’t going away. It’s all about fighting back against a system fueled by big money from a knighted few. Everyone else feels excluded, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re liberal, conservative or a little of both.

The best they could do?

"Rick Scott pushes Donald Trump at national meeting."

"Talking about medical marijuana. OMG"

Nancy Smith: "Las Vegas has changed, folks. I couldn't believe how much since I last visited. And I'm not talking about the glitzy hotels or the towering slot machines or the raving nightlife. I'm talking about changes you can see on the airport concourse two minutes after you deplane. I'm talking about medical marijuana. OMG." "Does Medical Marijuana Have a 'Visit Florida' Future? Check Out the New Las Vegas."

"‘Jeb! The Musical’ parody of ‘Hamilton’ mocks the Bush campaign, by The Orlando Sentinel's Steven Lemongello: ''Jeb! The Musical' is available online for anyone’s enjoyment, with two acts and 46 songs parodying both the failed presidential campaign of the former Florida governor and the musical about founding father Alexander Hamilton." "http://bit.ly/1qDjKL7"

Florida election gives rise to Twitter regulation dispute

"A 2014 complaint filed by a [Florida] congressional write-in candidate who received fewer than 10 votes sparked a more than two year review of how much — if any — federal regulation should be placed on political speech through social media outlets like Twitter."

The issue split the Federal Election Commission, which in February deadlocked on a 3-3 vote before deciding to close the case. The commission needs a majority vote to take any action.

The complaint was filed in January 2014 by Raymond Schamis, a write-in candidate from Delray Beach who was challenging West Palm Beach Democrat Lois Frankel in the 22nd Congressional District. In the complaint, Schamis said Frankel, Republican challenger Paul Spain and the Democratic and Republican national committees violated election law because Twitter accounts they used for their campaigns didn't include disclaimers saying who paid for the accounts and the individual tweets.

Even the Miami Herald

It's over: "Miami Herald Calls for Repeal of Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966."

Will Brown do Orlando?

"Florida’s redistricting saga continued Monday when a group of federal judges rejected a lawsuit to throw out the current congressional boundaries from U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville." "Court Rejects Corrine Brown Lawsuit to Throw Out New Congressional Districts." Here's the 26-page order".

Brown has hinted that she might run in the newly created district in Orlando.

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

Marc Caputo: "Medical marijuana refugees flee Florida – Beruff’s Cuban confusion -- Ayotte to Foley: Thanks but no thanks."

More: "The Beruff identity: Candidate’s conflicting claims about his birthplace" and "Beruff releases third TV ad."

Tracking immigrants like "tracking livestock"

"Congressional candidate Pat Mooney is drawing fire from a Republican rival for making an analogy between monitoring immigrants and tracking livestock with microchips." "Congressional candidate criticized for remarks about monitoring immigrants."