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Circuit Court Panel Upholds Constitutionality of Obamacare

Submitted by Anonymous on June 29, 2011 - 1:48pm

In a 2-1 decision, a 6th Circuit Court of Appeals panel upheld Obamacare on Wednesday, ruling that the law's individual mandate requiring the purchase of health insurance is "a valid exercise of Congress's authority under the Commerce Clause."

The decision came in a lawsuit filed by the conservative Thomas More Law Center. It was the first time a federal appellate court ruled on the controversial law.

Full story upcoming.

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Mike McCalister, Stressing His Conservatism, Formally Enters U.S. Senate Race

Kevin Derby

June 28, 2011 - 6:00pm

Mike McCalister, a businessman and retired Army officer, kicked off his bid Wednesday for the Republican nomination to take on U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.

McCalister, who took more than 10 percent when he ran for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2010, was widely expected to enter the race. He had filed paperwork as early as September 2010 indicating that he intended to run for the Senate, and he had been touring the Sunshine State for months speaking to conservative and Republican organization.

Marco Rubio Joins Push for Balanced Budget Amendment

Submitted by Kevin Derby on June 29, 2011 - 12:27pm

With Republicans beginning a push for a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida joined his GOP colleagues in backing the idea on Wednesday.

Washingtons massive spending and fiscal mismanagement has gone on long enough, and it is time for a balanced budget amendment to be enshrined in our Constitution, said Rubio. Our unsustainable debt and ever-rising deficits are not victimless practices -- they cause uncertainty that is actively killing jobs and threatening to leave future generations stuck with the bill.

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Ag Commish Putnam: No Plans to Run for Governor

Submitted by Kevin Derby on June 29, 2011 - 12:17pm

Gov. Rick Scott's poll numbers are in the basement, leaving some Republicans to get skittish about how he might affect the 2012 elections, but so far he doesn't have to worry about a primary challenge in 2014 when his current term runs out.

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, thought by some to be the next likely Republican gubernatorial candidate after Scott's run is over, played down the notion that he would attempt to unseat Scott in 2014.

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CPAC Lands in Middle of RPOF's Presidency 5 Summit This Fall

Submitted by Anonymous on June 29, 2011 - 10:58am

The itinerary during the Republicans' Presidency 5 summit in Orlando this fall is filling out.

The American Conservative Union announced Wednesday that its first regional Conservative Political Action Conference will be held on Sept. 23.

ACU will host the event a day after a Fox News presidential debate. The P5 presidential straw poll is scheduled for the summit's concluding day, Saturday, Sept. 24.

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Florida Supreme Court Hears Rulemaking Case Arguments

Submitted by Kevin Derby on June 29, 2011 - 10:55am

The Florida Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in the lawsuit alleging Gov. Rick Scott overstepped his constitutional authority in issuing an executive order halting new agency rules from being finalized until they had his approval.

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Dem PAC Running TV Ad in Florida Attacking Republicans This Weekend

Submitted by Kevin Derby on June 29, 2011 - 10:54am

Floridians who will spend their Independence Day weekend glued to the television may come across a new ad from Priorities USA Action, a PAC backing Democrats, which is running ads responding to Karl Roves American Crossroads PAC launching ads against President Barack Obama. The ads will be running in Florida as well as Colorado, Iowa and Virginia, and they hammer Republicans on Medicare, education, and accuse the GOP of trying to tear down the middle class.

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Mike McCalister Formally Enters Senate Race

Submitted by Kevin Derby on June 29, 2011 - 10:44am

Mike McCalister, a businessman and retired Army officer, made it official on Wednesday by formally entering the Republican primary contest to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012. McCalister, who took more than 10 percent when he ran for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, was widely expected to enter the race and had been hitting the Sunshine State for months.

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Case-Shiller: Miami, Tampa Home Prices Hit New Lows, Again

Submitted by Anonymous on June 29, 2011 - 9:54am

While a new survey shows housing prices bumping up slightly in several U.S. markets, two Florida cities were moving down -- again.

The S&P Case-Shiller Index reported that 15 metro areas recorded modestly higher prices for a three-month period ending in April. But Miami and Tampa (the only Florida cities surveyed) again hit new lows, falling 51.2 percent and 46.9 percent respectively off their record highs.

Four other cities -- Charlotte, Chicago, Las Vegas and Detroit -- also posted record lows.

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Obama Struggling But Beating GOP Field; Bachmann Second in New Hampshire

Kevin Derby

June 28, 2011 - 6:00pm

Two polls released Wednesday offered a snapshot of the current state of the 2012 presidential race, as President Barack Obama continues to struggle with voters and U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota is increasingly becoming the alternative for conservative Republicans wary about front-runner Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.

A McClatchy-Marist poll found that Obama couldcount on only 36 percent who will definitely vote for him in 2012, as opposed to 43 percent of voters who said they would definitely vote against the president.

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