Some supporters of GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich -- namely former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum -- are complaining about the Florida Republican primary being winner-take-all for Mitt Romney, who won the contest on Tuesday. Lenny Curry, the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, pushed back in a statement on Thursday.

Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement regarding the committees passage of the 2012-13 General Appropriations Act. I am pleased the House Appropriations Committee has acted swiftly to pass a balanced, fiscally responsible budget that will not increase the burden of state government on taxpayers.

Rep. Steve Precourt, R-Orlando, chairman of the Florida House Tax and Finance Committee, released the following statement regarding the committee proposal to increase Floridas corporate income tax exemption: Floridas economy continues to make significant strides in our recovery from one of the worst recessions in generations. The best way to help stimulate job growth is to reduce the tax burden placed on businesses, and increasing the corporate income tax exemption will help incentivize employers to move to Florida.

The Florida Police Benevolent Association has released a statement in reaction to Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, removing Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, as chairman of the Budget Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriation and from his seat on the Senate Committee on Budget. The PBA has challenged the states $16.5 million effort to privatize prisons in Central and South Florida. Fasano has opposed the privatization effort that has stalled in the Senate.

From his perches onboth the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney took some exception to U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta saying on Thursday that the U.S. would head to a noncombat role in Afghanistan next year.

Sharron Angle, the tea party favorite who was the Republican nominee against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced on Thursday that she is backing former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania for the Republican presidential nomination. Nevada holds its caucus on Saturday.

After losing Florida to Mitt Romney on Tuesday, Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich came out swinging on Thursday, comparing his GOP rivals stance on health care to that of President Barack Obama. The most important issue facing Republican voters in 2012 should be repealing the disastrous policy known as Obamacare. This policy isn't scheduled to be fully implemented until 2014, and once an onerous entitlement is established, it becomes near impossible to repeal, wrote Michael Krull, Gingrichs campaign manager, in an email to supporters sent out Thursday.

After the winner-take-all Florida primary, it comes as no surprise that Romney has a commanding lead in the delegate count, according to AP methodology. The next prize the presidential hopefuls are eagerly racing to capture comes in three days with the Nevada caucuses. On the Feb. 4 craps table waiting to be shifted to candidates' piles sit 28 delegates. Thus far, the 2012 GOP presidential primary has revealed: 1. Romney is sitting pretty (literally) with 87 delegates. 2. Gingrich trails in second with 26 delegates.

Now that the presidential primary is over and two GOP candidates have quit the U.S. Senate contest, George LeMieux is narrowing his focus on rival Connie Mack IV. With Hasner and Craig Millers departures this week, the U.S. Senate race is now in clearer focus. Connie Mack currently leads in the polls, but there is no doubt his lead stems entirely from having a well-known name, inherited from his respected father and great-grandfather," LeMieux said Wednesday.

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, said he has lost confidence that Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, would help the chamber work toward balancing the budget without raising taxes. Haridopolos on Wednesday removed Fasano as chairman of the Budget Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriation and from his seat on the Senate Committee on Budget.

Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, has released a statement after being removed by Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, on Wednesday from the Budget Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriation and the Senate Committee on Budget. Fasano, who has opposed the Haridopolos-backed prison privatization efforts now stalled in the Senate, was chairman of the Budget Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriation. Fasano's statement:

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, has removed Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, from a pair of committee assignments: the Budget Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriation and the Senate Committee on Budget. Fasano has led efforts to block the controversial prison privatization bill. Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, will replace Fasano as chair of the Budget Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriation.

There will be no vote today on prison privatization by the Senate. A day after a contentious floor session with at least 10 Republican senators opposed or undecided on Senate Bill 2038, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, didnt bring the bill forward during the Senate session on Wednesday. The bill was temporarily approved by members Tuesday, with a number of amendments from Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, expected to be voted on during Wednesday's session.

Sunshine State News is hitting the radio airwaves on Wednesday at 3 p.m. I will be on the Ed Dean radio show, which is hosted by one of the most feisty, informative and entertaining conservatives in Florida. It can be heard online here and on two stations in Central Florida -- 89.3 on the west coast and 90.3 on the Atlantic coast on the Space Coast.

In what could ring as a bit of deja vu for Floridians, former Attorney General Bill McCollum chalked up Newt Gingrich's Florida primary loss to a disadvantage in his campaign war chest. Gingrichs Florida co-chairman told MSNBC's Chuck Todd this morning that Gingrich has the ideas, but he couldn't match up to the Romney camp's spending spree and flurry of negative advertising. Wait, have I heard this before?