Former Republican Charlie Crist, who so far isnt running as a Democrat to evict Gov. Rick Scott from the governors mansion, continues to criticize the 2012 election as Florida has yet to determine how its voters stood on the presidential election. Not embarrassing; shameful. This can never happen again, Crist tweeted out Thursday. The state remains too close to call between President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney from Tuesdays election. Absentee ballots continued to be counted in Miami-Dade County on Thursday morning.

The 2012 election cycle wasn't kind to Jack Latvala. His dream of leading the Florida Senate in 2016 -- after incoming President Don Gaetz this year and Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando in 2014 -- is now dimmer than a Flintstones' nightlight. First, voters ousted two of his pledges -- state Reps. Jim Frishe, R-St. Petersburg and Mike Weinstein, R-Jacksonville -- in the GOP Senate primary. Now Ellyn Bogdanoff, the primo name on his list, his prize pledge, lost her re-election fight.

Hunting Deutsch, a 30 year banking executive who oversees unemployment benefits in Florida as head of the Department of Economic Opportunity, picked up jobless benefits prior to landing the state gig, the Florida Current reports.

Florida resident Karen Hughes, worldwide vice chair of the public relations firm Burson-Marsteller and former counselor to President George W. Bush -- in a morning-after opinion piece in Time magazine -- makes an incisive case that "Obama's Campaign Diminished the Presidency." Here is some of what she writes:

Gov. Rick Scott named George W. Mann to the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board. Mann, 62, of Polk City, is a retired business development manager with Treatt USA who had served on the Florida Citrus Processors Association Committee and the Editorial Advisory Board of the Citrus & Vegetable Magazine. The appointment is through March 1, 2013. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

Gov. Rick Scott has appointed Samuel Bo R. Spring to the Northwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board. Spring, 36, of Port Saint Joe, is the managing member of Big Fish Construction LLC and Cape Concrete LLC. He is also director of the Port Saint Joe Downtown Redevelopment Agency and the chair of the Gulf County Planning, Development, and Review Board. The appointment is through March 1, 2013. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

Gov. Rick Scott released the following statement after addressing the Florida Board of Governors in Sarasota. Our mission is simple -- improve the value of higher education for Floridians. I know that every person in this room today is here because you not only believe in improving the current higher education system, you are also willing to dedicate your own time and energy to seeing improvements accomplished.

Think the election is over? Not on the Treasure Coast, or in the Palm Beaches, or anywhere money can be raised to help hammer a nail in another GOP coffin.

St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections Gertrude Walker has dismissed claims by U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Palm Beach Gardens, on how her office handled the election in his close contest on Tuesday. I certainly feel that none of (the accusations) are valid, Walker told Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. I feel that the process went as it should have.

Gov. Rick Scott has appointed Gary Jones to the Suwannee River Water Management District governing board. Jones, 63, of Old Town, is a self-employed farmer with Jones Farms. A former state law enforcement officer who also was in the Florida Marine Patrol, he was also an athletic coach with the Dixie County School Board. The term is through March 1, 2016. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

As Democrats have cut into the GOPs supermajority in the Florida Legislature, House Democratic Leader-designate Perry Thurston, D-Plantation, released the following statement on the general election:

U.S. Congressman-elect Ted Yoho, a large animal doctor who easily defeated Democrat J.R. Gaillot on Tuesday, 64.8 percent to 32.4 percent, for the District 3 seat issued the following release Wednesday. This is not a win for me. This is a win for the people of the 3rd Congressional district because you guys have stood up and said, Weve had enough! Yoho stated in the release.

The campaign for U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Palm Beach Gardens, isnt ready to concede and has called for a hand recount in St. Lucie County. This race is far from decided and there is no rush to declare an outcome, Wests campaign manager Tim Edson stated in a release. West appears to have been defeated by Democrat Patrick Murphy, 160,328 (50.4 percent) to 157,872 (49.6 percent). The gap is beyond the .5 percent margin that triggers an automatic recount.

Senate President-designate Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, and House Speaker-designate Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, have set the pre-session interim committee meeting schedule: The week of December 3 The week of January 14 The week of January 21 The week of February 4 The week of February 11 The week of February 18 The regular session begins March 5, 2013. An organizational session, where the designate tags will be removed from Gaetz and Weatherford, is set for Nov. 20.

As Florida remains the last undeclared state in the Presidential contest, ballots are still being counted in nine counties. All precincts and early voting results are in. However, 9 counties must finish canvassing absentee ballots today, Chris Cate, spokesman for Secretary of State Ken Detzner, stated in a release. The nine counties are Putnam, Pinellas, Palm Beach, Okaloosa, Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Escambia, Duval and Broward, according to the state Division of Elections website.