With hearings now scheduled for Solicitor General Elena Kagans nomination to the Supreme Court, Floridas candidates in the U.S. Senate election are weighing in on the matter.

A field of four Republicans and one Democrat are looking to challenge Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor in Floridas 11th Congressional District. Stretching around most of Tampa Bay, including most of Tampa and parts of St. Petersburg and Bradenton, the district remains one of the more reliable Democratic districts in the state. Nevertheless, some Republicans are optimistic they will do better there come November.

With Gov. Charlie Crist leaving the Republican Party to continue his campaign for the U.S. Senate as an independent, leaders at the national level warn Florida conservatives that Crist can't be trusted on the issues -- especially a measure requiring women considering abortions to have an ultrasound.

Adding more drama to what already promises to be a gripping political season in Florida, Lawton Bud Chiles III, education advocate and son of the longtime U.S. senator and governor, is seriously considering announcing a run for governor.

Gov. Charlie Crist signed a measure allowing more cameras to be installed at traffic signals to catch drivers who run through red lights While Crist may not have support from the Republican leadership of the House, he seems to be getting some from the Democrats.

Three challengers have emerged to take on Congressman Jeff Miller, a Republican who was first elected in 2001. Miller represents the Panhandle's 1st Congressional District, which reaches from the Alabama border to Washington County. The district includes Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach.

With Florida receiving $19.9 billion from the federal government through the stimulus passed by Congress last year, Gov. Charlie Crist established the Governors Office of Economic Recovery to coordinate the efforts.

But while the stimulus remains a point of controversy, the office itself has been flying under the radar -- and there are reasons for that.

The Republican National Committee selected Tampa on Wednesday to be the site of the Republican National Convention in 2012. Tampa beat out Phoenix and Salt Lake City to host the event.

The convention will be held the week of Aug. 27 in the St. Pete Times Forum, which seats more than 21,000 and is the home of the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team.

Retired Army officer and Republican candidate Allen West, currently looking to take on Democratic Congressman Ron Klein in a rematch from the 2008 elections, is taking swipes at prominent Florida Republicans Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio, saying they should be ashamed for opposing Arizonas new immigration laws While Rubio

Florida House Speaker Larry Cretulissued a ringing statement Tuesday,accusingGov. Charlie Crist ofunnecessarily wasting taxpayers' money,playing political gamesand distracting state leaders from solving the state's real problems right now.