In Tallahassee on Thursday, Florida House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, and his leadership team unveiled their legislative agenda for the 2014 session. As Democratic leaders, we will continue to fight for an effective and efficient government that works for the middle class, said Thurston. We strive for a state government that makes investments in public education, health care, and infrastructure so Florida can attract jobs and build an economy for the future.

Education lobbying group StudentsFirst Florida weighed in on Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart's plan to simplify Florida's school grading system.

On Thursday, Florida State Universitys LeRoy Collins Institute (LCI) unveiled Tougher Choices: Shaping Floridas Future, a report on a host of fronts including state finances, education, public employee pensions and other issues. The report was written by a team of economists from the Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR) at the University of Florida. LCI has been releasing Tough Choices reports since 2005.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) tried a political ju-jitsu on Thursday as it sought to turn former state CFO Alex Sinks attacks on David Jolly on Social Security against her. Sink, the Democratic candidate, takes on Republican Jolly and Libertarian Lucas Overby in a special congressional election for an open seat in Pinellas County on March 11. On Thursday, the NRCC bashed Sink for saying she supported Simpson-Bowles.

Enterprise Florida will lead a delegation of 138 exporters, business leaders and statewide economic development representatives to the Dominican Republic for an international export sales mission this weekend, focusing on creating unique opportunities for companies and the state of Florida. Gov. Rick Scott, who usually attends Enterprise Florida's trade missions, will not be participating in the trip, which begins Sunday and ends next Wednesday.

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., called for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to resign on Wednesday night. Gingrich sent out a message to supporters on Wednesday night and pointed to a speech from Kerry last week on climate change, insisting it proved the former Democratic presidential candidate should not hold high office. Gingrich sent out the following email: If in recent history an American secretary of state has made a speech as delusional as John Kerrys in Jakarta last week, I cant remember it.

Longtime Republican leader Al Cardenas, the former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) and the leader of the American Conservative Union (ACU) in recent years, will join Squire Sanders as a senior partner starting on March 1.

Fresh from getting the endorsement of the Susan B. Anthony List for her congressional bid on Wednesday, Florida Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, filed more than 3,100 signatures to get on the ballot in an open congressional contest in Southwest Florida. Benacquisto is running in next months Republican primary for the seat that had been held by former U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fla., who resigned after pleading guilty to cocaine possession.

Businessman and former college basketball star Curt Clawson is running for the Republican nomination in the race for an open congressional seat which had been held by former U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fla. Clawson promised earlier this week to deliver a game changer at a media event held on Wednesday which would unite the team of conservatives who are looking for an outsider to represent us in Congress.

Former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, best known for his three presidential bids, announced on Wednesday that he will be active in the 2014 congressional primaries through his Liberty PAC. Bashing statist incumbent Republicans like U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham" and praising rock-solid liberty-movement challengers, Paul pledged to be busy in the primaries. The truth is, without a strong showing this spring and summer, the results we see this fall might not matter one bit, Paul informed supporters on Wednesday.

A poll from the University of North Florida (UNF) finds Mayor Alvin Brown of Jacksonville, who is running for a second term in early 2015, starts off his re-election bid in solid shape. Brown garners the approval of 59 percent of those surveyed while 22 percent disapprove of the Democratic mayor. While Browns numbers are good, that is a slip from where he stood last February when 70 percent of those surveyed in a UNF poll approved of him.

The Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) Candidate Fund, a pro-life group, announced on Wednesday it was backing Florida Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, in an open congressional race in Southwest Florida. Benacquisto is running for the Republican nomination for the seat vacated by former U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fla., who resigned after pleading guilty for possessing cocaine.

On Wednesday, Robert Nave was named director of Florida TaxWatchs Center for Educational Performance and Accountability and as a senior education policy analyst. Nave worked for the state for more than a quarter of a century and rose to serve as chief of staff of the Florida Lottery. He also worked as vice president of Convergys HR Management.

Dr. Ben Carson burst on the national scene last year when he criticized President Barack Obamas health care law at the National Prayer Breakfast. Carson is generating buzz as a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2016 and is currently leading the American Legacy PACs Save Our Healthcare project.

Roy Jones Jr., who was at one point considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, told TMZ he plans to run for mayor of his hometown of Pensacola. Now 45, Jones told TMZ he has paperwork ready and more than enough signatures to get on the ballot.