U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., continued to criticize the Obama administration for agreeing to a deal releasing a captured American soldier for five Taliban leaders.

Despite U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), saying she opposes Amendment 2, a leading Florida Democrat showcased his support of the medical marijuana proposal on Monday. Like too many American families, my family was stricken by tragedy when my mother Jerrilyn was diagnosed with cancer, said Alan Clendenin, the first vice chairman of the Florida Democratic Party on Monday. For over a year we watched my mother battle this horrific disease. We lost my mom Aug. 25, 2008.

With Gov. Rick Scott launching a tour of Florida focusing on keeping higher education costs under control, he is getting some air support from the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF). On Monday, the RPOF unveiled a Web ad hitting former Gov. Charlie Crist, the favorite for the Democratic nomination, on a host of fronts including raising tuition.

Gov. Rick Scott will be headed to Fort Myers Monday to kick off his College Affordability tour. According to a press release, the weeklong tour will "highlight [Scott's] efforts to reverse the burdensome tuition increases signed into law by Charlie Crist." The governor will also discuss keeping college affordable for all Florida students as well as Scott's efforts to reduce the cost of Florida prepaid savings plans, provide in-state tuition for veterans, and "work with Florida state colleges to offer $10,000 degrees in important fields."

Former Gov. Charlie Crist was endorsed by the state AFL-CIO this weekend as he runs for the Democratic nomination to challenge Gov. Rick Scott in November. Despite having spent most of his political career as a Republican, Crist, who joined the Democrats in December 2012, is the favorite for his new partys nomination.

On Monday, Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill giving some undocumented aliens in-state tuition. Scott stressed the bill would keep tuition low for Floridians across the board. Making sure all Floridians have access to an affordable higher education is one of my top priorities, Scott said. Signing this historic legislation today will keep tuition low, and allow all students who grew up in Florida to have the same access to affordable higher education. With this legislation, higher education became more affordable and more accessible to all Floridians.

Here's an ICYMI for you. Florida Democratic Party leaders' bizarre war against their own members has heated up. Now they're urging Charlie Crist backers to help them by blanketing The Florida Squeeze (TFS) with comments hyping Charlie's credentials and the need to blindly follow their lead.

The Republican Party of Florida went on the attack against big-time trial lawyer John Morgan for comments he made against U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., on Friday. Earlier in the day, Wasserman Schultz expressed concerns over a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana in Florida, saying the amendment was "written too broadly" and "stops short of ensuring strong regulatory oversight from state officials."

Former state CFO Alex Sink, who lost a special congressional election earlier this year, went to bat for a Democrat in the U.S. Senate on Friday. Sink, who was the Democratic candidate who came up short against Rick Scott in 2010, sent out an email to supporters on Friday asking them to support U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., who is a top Republican target in November.

Reclaim America, a PAC affiliated with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is standing against President Barack Obamas latest round of EPA regulations. On Friday, Reclaim America announced it was gathering petitions opposed to Obamas EPA reforms.

JaxBiz, a political group with ties to the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, unveiled a host of legislative endorsements in races on the First Coast on Friday. Last month, the group backed Paul Renner for the House seat left open by the retirement of Rep. Daniel Davis, R-Jacksonville, who heads up the Jacksonville Chamber. Earlier this week, the group announced it was backing Gov. Rick Scott for a second term.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., cheered the news that parts of his bill giving the VA secretary more room to fire incompetent employees was going to be incorporated into a compromise measure brought forth by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. Earlier in the week, Rubio announced more than half of the Senate was co-sponsoring his bill. A similar proposal from U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., passed the House last month.

Some of the biggest bills of this year's legislative session have made their way to the desk of Gov. Rick Scott. Over 100 bills were forwarded to the governor on Thursday, including HB 851, which would offer the children of undocumented immigrants in-state tuition rates. Another high-profile bill, SB 1030, would legalize medical marijuana for those suffering from severe epilepsy. Scott promised to sign both bills. Scott now has 15 days to sign, veto or allow the bills to become law without his signature.

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste named U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., as a Taxpayer Hero for his record last year in Congress.

Gov. Rick Scott spent part of this week touring the state, focusing on small-business issues. On Thursday, the state chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) announced it was endorsing Scott with its Florida chairman, Jerry Pierce, leading a Small Business for Scott group.