Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi issued the following statement on Thursday regarding the death ofprominent GOP fundraiser and civic leader Al Austin:

Former Gov. Charlie Crist weighed in on the controversy surrounding the VA hospitals on Thursday. "I appreciate Secretary Eric Shinseki's service to his country, and while we don't know precisely what happened here, we do know that there must be accountability and confidence in leadership in order to get to the truth and provide veterans the medical care they've earned and deserve," said Crist. "That confidence is gone. I think it would be best if the secretary stepped down and allowed others to get the VA fixed once and for all."

Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry issued the following statement on the death of prominent GOP fundraiser and civic leader Al Austin: "The news of Al Austins passing is unexpected and sad. Al was a great man who led an impressive life. His commitment to the Tampa Bay area and the Republican Party was unprecedented. My prayers are with his family during this time as we honor Als memory and the legacy he left behind.

A poll released on Thursday finds former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dominating the Democratic side while former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas leads the GOP pack in Iowa, home of the first presidential caucus.

Alongside possible Republican presidential contender Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., Gov. Rick Scott, R-Fla., continued his focus on Florida ports -- and attacking the Democrat he is most likely to face in November -- on Thursday.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., scored two wins on Thursday with his amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) included in the bill which passed with 325 votes. Ross launched two amendments, one ensuring military commissaries remain open and the other ensuring federal funds arent used for recreational facilities for prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Ross noted back in 2012 that reports emerged of $750,000 being used to build a soccer field for prisoners there.

The mayor of Destin and the Destin Chamber of Commerce won't wait for the next round of discussions on casino gambling in the state Legislature. They want to do something right now to make sure it can't come to their city.

Even as former Gov. Charlie Crists team demands a debate with him, Gov. Rick Scott struck back with a new website, counting the days since Crist refused to debate Democratic primary rival former Florida Senate Minority Leader Nan Rich. Scotts team released a new site on Thursday and called for Crist to debate Rich, adding the governor will debate whoever wins the Democratic primary winner in the fall.

The Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), which passed the U.S. House earlier this week and is expected to pass the U.S. Senate in the days to come, allows the expansion of Port Everglades if the Army Corps of Engineers gives the green light. To that end, Floridas two U.S. senators -- Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Marco Rubio -- along with two South Florida Democratic congresswomen -- Lois Frankel and Debbie Wasserman Schultz -- met with Jo-Ellen Darcy, the assistant secretary of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday to talk about Port Everglades.

Charlie Crist's campaign team is putting pressure on Gov. Rick Scott to debate the former governor in July. "For those keeping score, Rick Scott is willing to spend $11+ mil on TV smearing @CharlieCrist, but not willing to attend a moderated forum," tweeted Crist spokesman Kevin Cate.

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., the only Florida congressman sitting on the Ways and Means Committee, called for more government accountability on Wednesday -- and he says he is not getting it from the Obama administration.

A Florida anti-Common Core group is coming out in support of statements made by Rep. Charles Van Zant, R-Keystone Heights, at an education conference where he said the company developing the replacement test for the FCAT aims to "attract every one of your children to become a(s) homosexual as they possibly can." Florida Stop Common Core Coalition contends that the American Institutes for Research company goes into "full blown promotion" of homosexual practices and attempts to "normalize homosexual tendencies" beginning at a young age.

Gov. Rick Scotts team pounced on former Gov. Charlie Crist for a comment he made at the Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida on Wednesday. You recently said that anyone who continues to support the Cuban embargo has their head in the sand, a member of the audience told Crist. No, I didnt say that, Crist insisted.

As the other gubernatorial candidates accept and decline attending a candidate forum in Coral Gables hosted by the Florida Press Association and theFlorida Society of News Editors in early July, Libertarian nominee Adrian Wyllie said on Wednesday he would attend it if hes invited.

With Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag, a woman who is 8 months pregnant, facing the death penalty in Sudan for marrying a Christian and leaving Islam to embrace her husbands faith, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., joined senators from both parties in launching a measure to condemn her pending execution.