Republican congressional candidate Jake Rushs campaign continues to reel in the aftermath of revelations about his dark-themed role-playing hobby. Rushs role-playing garnered national attention this week. Rush is running against U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., in the Republican primary.

U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., announced on Thursday that he made the ballot by petition as he runs for a second term in Congress. I am thrilled that our team is the first to qualify on the 2014 ballot, Yoho said. It is no easy task to collect nearly 4,500 petitions and I couldnt be more humbled by the outpouring of support from our local communities.

Appearing on Hugh Hewitts national radio show on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said he did not expect to focus on both running for the Republican presidential nomination and running for a second term in the Senate come 2016. Responding to reports that Rubio said he would make a decision about running for the White House, staying in the Senate or leaving public office around this time next year, Hewitt asked, Isnt that a little bit late?

Former Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska will be in Southwest Florida on Thursday for a fundraising event with Florida Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, who is running in the Republican primary to replace former U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fla., in Congress. Excited to announce that Sarah Palin is coming to Southwest Florida this week to join me on the campaign trail, Benacquisto announced on Monday.

Former state Rep. Paige Kreegel called for more transparency from elected officials when it comes to their personal finances. Kreegel is running against Florida Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, and businessman Curt Clawson in the Republican primary to replace former U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fla., in Congress. The primary will be on April 22.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., introduced a bill on Tuesday authorizing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to audit FEMAs National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Flood Insurance Integrity Act will require a review of the NFIP, and will provide transparency and shed much needed light on how flood rate maps are updated, Bilirakis said on Tuesday. The NFIP must be administered with integrity.

A national poll released on Wednesday finds likely voters think the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) should be more focused on collecting taxes instead of ensuring Americans are compliant with President Barack Obamas federal health-care law. The poll from Rasmussen Reports shows 65 percent think the IRS should keep its focus on taxes.Only 19 percent think the IRS should tackle ensuring Americans have health care and 15 percent are undecided. The poll of 1,000 likely voters was taken from March 28-29 and had a margin of error of +/- 3 percent.

On Wednesday, Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill rolling back $400 million in vehicle registration fees enacted in 2009 by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed into law by then-Gov. Charlie Crist. Despite spending most of his political career as a Republican, Crist is the favorite to win the Democratic nomination and challenge Scott in November.

Over 500 years ago, Spanish explorerJuan Ponce de Le and his expedition spotted Florida. At noon on April 2, 1513, Ponce de Les navigator, Anton de Alaminos, recorded their location just south of present-day Ponte Vedra Beach.Other explorers may have sighted Florida beforePonce de Le, but the Spanish explorer is the first to have documented his location in Florida.

U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., sent a letter this week to U.S. House Homeland Security Appropriations Chairman John Carter, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. David Price, D-N.C., the ranking Democrat on that subcommittee, urging them to ensure there will be no funding on warrantless drone surveillance of U.S. citizens on U.S. territory for the next fiscal year.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., reached out to Gov. Tom Corbett, R-Pa., asking Pennsylvania state police to help in the continuing investigation of the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Marianna. Researchers from the University of South Florida (USF) hope to exhume the remains of Thomas Curry, a 15-year-old who was sent to Dozier in 1925 and died less than a month later due to a wound to the forehead, skull crushed from unknown cause though the circumstances of his death remain unknown.

Lenny Curry, the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF), came out swinging at former Gov. Charlie Crist, the favorite for the Democratic nomination to challenge Gov. Rick Scott in November, on taxes on Wednesday morning. Going back to 2009, Curry hit Crist for relying on federal stimulus dollars and raising taxes in that years budget. Crist was a Republican at the time and the budget Curry attacked on Wednesday passed both the GOP-controlled House and Senate.

Gov. Rick Scott presented the Governors Sports Award to Florida State University Head Coach Jimbo Fisher and the 2013 FSU football team on Tuesday for their athletic achievements and winning the 2014 BCS National Championship. The Governors Sports Award is an award given to those who have made significant contributions to sports in Florida.

Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart announced the five finalists for the 2014 Florida School-Related Employee of the Year award on Tuesday. According to a press release, the award recognizes outstanding education support personnel for the significant contributions they make to their schools and communities. The finalists are:

Businessman Curt Clawson, running in the Republican primary to replace former U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fla., in Congress, signed a pledge from Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) not to raise taxes. Clawsons two primary rivals -- Florida Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, and former state Rep. Paige Kreegel -- signed the ATR pledge earlier in the campaign.