Attorney General Pam Bondi released the following statement on the death of Brevard County Sheriffs Deputy Barbara Pill, who was killed Tuesday morning. It is with great sadness that we mourn the death of Deputy Pill, who lost her life late this morning in the line of duty, Bondi stated. My heart goes out to Deputy Pills family, friends, and fellow law enforcement officers. She will be remembered for her bravery and dedication to our state. The House held a moment of silence for Deputy Pill.

Mitt Romney, from neighboring Massachusetts, was declared the winner of the Vermont Republican presidential primary on Super Tuesday. There were 17 delegates on the line in the Green Mountain State. Vermont used to be a strong Republican state. It was one of six states that Herbert Hoover carried when he was buried in a landslide by FDR back in 1932. It was one of two -- yes, two -- states that Alf Landon carried in 1936 against FDR. And it produced one of the most conservative American presidents inCalvin Coolidge.

Mitt Romney made it look easy in Virginia. Networks called the Old Dominion for Romney 20 minutes after the polls closed. But Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum were not on the ballot, leaving only Ron Paul to stand against Romney. Romney carried the state and will win most of the 49 delegates at stake in Virginia.

Republican Newt Gingrich was looking to win Georgia -- a state he represented for two decades in Congress -- on Super Tuesday and he won the primary in the Peach State. With 76 delegates on the line, Georgia was the biggest prize up for grabs on Tuesday. The networks called the race for Gingrich, who led the polls in recent weeks, right after the polls closed at 7 p.m. Gingrich has been focusing on the Peach State, taking a bus tour there this past weekend. Mitt Romney placed second followed by Rick Santorum, while Ron Paul trailed in single digits.

Barack Obama's former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is the latest big-name Democrat to support Parent Trigger legislation pending at the Florida Senate. If parents find their children stuck in a school that simply isnt doing the job, we should empower them to force changes by allowing a majority of parents to legally force a failing school's transformation," said Emanuel, now mayor of Chicago.

Question: If you're offended at Rush Limbaugh calling Democratic activist Sandra Fluke a "slut," why weren't you offended when Bill Maher called former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and other Republican women much worse? Answer: Because you're way liberal and Maher is way liberal, which makes that kind ofmisogynistic rhetoric "allowed." Here, from a John McCormack piece in this week's The Weekly Standard, are a few of the words and antics the political comedian got so much mileage on:

I'm not a car guy. I'm not a professional political guy. But I am a news guy -- of 25 years and counting. Which means I have a fairly good eye for grammar, content -- and BS when it comes my way. And, I'm glad to say, I called last week's announcement that the Chevy Volt was doomed about four days before the company made it official -- and only days after our president announced he planned to buy a Chevy Volt after leaving office.

Talk about last-minute support. On Tuesday -- the day of the Alaska caucus -- Mayor Dan Sullivan of Anchorage announced he is backing Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination. Im pleased to have Dans support, Romney said in a statement. Dan shares my values of instituting pro-growth policies like lowering taxes and scaling back the size of government. To be successful in restoring Americas promise, we need to spread this same message across Alaska. I know Dans support will go a long way in doing just that.

Leon County Circuit Court Judge Jackie Fulford ruled Tuesday that a law to require Florida's state employees to contribute 3 percent of their pay into their retirement programs -- like most private-sector employees contribute to their pension funds -- is unconstitutional.

Tom Grady, commissioner of the Florida Office of Financial Regulation, told his staff this morning he will resign his position, effective "soon." He said he has been appointed to head up Citizens Property Insurance Corp. -- a move made by the Citizens board of directors.

Leon County Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford has once again ruled against the reform efforts last year of state legislators and Gov. Rick Scott. Fulford declared Tuesday that the less-than-year-old law to require state employees to contribute 3 percent of their pay toward the pension program is unconstitutional.

The Senate on Tuesday advanced to a third reading a bill, SB 1880, backed by Attorney General Pam Bondi, that would impose tougher legislation against human trafficking. The House approved a similar bill, HB 7049, Feb. 24. The bill would increase penalties for trafficking to be consistent with federal human trafficking laws and give law enforcement agencies the ability to request warrants to "intercept oral and electronic communications" related to human trafficking investigations.

House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, took a dig at former Gov. Charlie Crist as the House unveiled the speakers portrait on Tuesday. Cannon credited former Gov. Jeb Bush for showing what a leader should be and then added former Gov. Charlie Crist, for showing me what a politician should not be.

The Senate approved, in a 26-8 vote Tuesday, a sweeping reform of Citizens Property Insurance designed to reduce the number of policies the state-owned insurer covers, despite a late amendment many senators hope the House will remove.

Its Super Tuesday and the wind is behind Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romneys back.