U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, who will soon have to give up her position as chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee due to House rules, called on the U.S. to remain steadfast with Israel after she hosted a briefing with Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren on the Israel-Gaza conflict. Recent events highlight the continued need for the United States to stand in solidarity with our steadfast ally Israel, Ros-Lehtinen stated in a release.

Gov. Rick Scott announced a $1.6 million state and local incentives package for ADT Corp. (NYSE: ADT), a Boca Raton electronics security company expected to create 120 new jobs and keep another 260 in Florida. Not only is ADTs continuing growth in Florida a win for the states business community and the economy, but its a significant benefit to Floridas families as well, Scott stated in a release. The jobs and career opportunities that will come with this expansion are vital to our efforts for getting Florida back to work.

Why did Republican Connie Mack lose the Senate election to Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson? Would former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux have been a stronger candidate?Did Mack's defeat constitute a vindication of LeMieux? During the general election, Nelson took up some of LeMieux's own primary campaign criticisms of Mack's youthfulindiscretions; does LeMieux feel any guilt over making these an issue?

Sorry, Charlie. No big important position in the Obama administration for you. Apparently. True, nobody tried harder than Charlie Crist to suck up to the president during the 2012 presidential campaign. Nobody got more photo ops along the campaign trail. But if you can believe Democratic National Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz -- and this time you probably can because she and Obama enjoy a closer relationship since the election -- the former Republican-governor-of-Florida-turned-Independent isn't in line to cash in on all that loyalty.

U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Palm Beach Gardens, as he thanked supporters in Stuart this week, said he may return to politics. West, who is rumored to next enter the world of television correspondent or author, after the lengthy and expensive contest with Democrat Patrick Murphy, left the door open about his political future.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce opened its sixth annual Insurance Summit on Wednesday with its president and CEO, Mark Wilson, reminding industry participants that while business groups have the ears of state lawmakers, they need to keep pursuing their causes with politicians.

Gov. Rick Scott was in Melbourne this morning helping to break ground on Embraer Aircraft's new Engineering and Technology Center, a $50 million capital investment expected to bring 200 jobs to the Space Coast city over the next five years. With the governor for the event was Frederico Curado, president and CEO of Embraer S.A., and Gary Spulak, president, Embraer Aircraft Holding Inc.

The Fraser Institute, a conservative Canadian think-tank, has just published the 2012 edition of its annual "Economic Freedom of North America" report. The study grades the economic freedom of all 50 U.S. states and and each of Canada's 10 provinces on a scale from 1 through 10, and ranks these territories in comparison with each other.

With popular former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush being touted in as a possible Republican contender in 2016, Reuters profiles his contribution to the Sunshine State's education reform: "Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush soared to rock star status in the education world on the strength of a chart. "A simple graph, it tracked fourth-grade reading scores. In 1998, when Bush was elected governor, Florida kids scored far below the national average. By the end of his second term, in 2007, they were far ahead, with especially impressive gains for low-income and minority students.

Some of Floridas most influential business lobbying groups are behind a call by Gov. Rick Scott to double the Quick Response Training Program, which supports business expansion efforts, to around $12 million. Tom Feeney, CEO and president of Associated Industries of Florida

Former state Rep. Eric Eisnaugle has joined the Orlando office of Rumberger, Kirk and Caldwell practicing commercial litigation and appellate law. We are very pleased to welcome Eric to our firm, Frank Sheppard, managing partner, stated in a release. He is a talented lawyer with a diverse background in commercial litigation and appellate work, which are two growth areas for the firm right now. While in the Legislature, Eisnaugle had chaired the Civil Justice Subcommittee and served as vice chair of the Rules and Calendar Committee.

South Florida Democrats have requested the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights hold a hearing on Floridas 2011 election laws now that former Florida Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer claims the law was designed to suppress Democrats voting. The letter: Mr. Martin R. Castro Chairman U.S. Commission on Civil Rights1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NWSuite 1150

The stars of the party continue to line up for Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that the City of Pembroke Pines has become the first in the Sunshine State to pass a resolution warning residents that radiation from cell phones might cause cancer: "Holding your cellphone up to your ear could be hazardous to your health. Now, one South Florida city wants to make sure you know it. "Inspired by a resident's cancer survival story, Pembroke Pines passed what's thought to be the first resolution in the state to warn residents about the possibility of cellphone radiation causing cancer.

As Gov. Rick Scott has called for an investigation into how internal issues have been handled, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. board chairman, Carlos Lacasa, vowed Tuesday the bloated state-backed insurance provider will regain its "credibility." We will win back credibility in the eyes of the public, Lacasa said as the board opened a workshop on Tuesday in the Capitol.