With U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., lashing out at the tea party over the continued stalemate in Washington about raising the debt ceiling, Florida Republican Congressman Connie Mack fired back on Thursday. Senator McCain has lost his way again, Mack posted on Twitter. Hey Senator, we are Republicans and we are over here. Please join us.

With House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, facing term limits in 2012, a familiar face is well-positioned to replace him. Dr. Bob Brooks, who served three terms in the House during the 1990s and served as state health secretary, launched his campaign in late 2009 to run for this seat, which currently represents parts of Orange County -- though that can change, due to redistricting, in 2012. He has raised more than $47,000 so far, and more than $24,000 of that came in the second quarter of 2011. Brooks has also kept his powder dry, spending slightly more than $5,500 so far.

The Hill reports the U.S. House will vote on House Speaker John Boehner's debt-ceiling plan sometime between 5:45 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. EDT, well after U.S. markets close at 4 p.m.

Floridians for Government Accountability added its voice on Thursday to the concerns over a proposed sale of a natural-gas pipeline that serves the state. Chairman James Hart said his group is "closely monitoring" negotiations by two rival companies to acquire Southern Union, which owns the Florida Gas Transmission pipeline. Sunshine State News reported last week that the Williams Cos. and Energy Transfer Equity are vying to buy the pipeline. Industry observers say a Williams purchase could run afoul of antitrust laws.

With state Senate President Mike Haridopolos out of the race, former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner is getting some backing from Republicans in the Legislature for his bid to win the Republican nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012. On Wednesday, Hasner announced he won the endorsements of both Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, and Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood.

On Wednesday, Republican National CommitteeChairman Reince Priebus weighed in on Floridas role in the 2012 elections as his organization rolled out a new television commercial and a Spanish language radio ad hitting the Sunshine State. During a call with the media, Preibus called Florida a massively important battleground state for 2012 and dismissed suggestions that Gov. Rick Scotts continuing poor polling will impact the general election in 2012. The election is going to be all about Barack Obama, said Preibus.

After pulling defeat out of the jaws of victory in the Jacksonville mayoral race earlier in the year, Mike Hogan, who was the Republican candidate in the contest, was named by Gov. Rick Scott to the Public Employees Relations Commission. Hogan, a former state representative who served as Duval County tax collector before losing the mayoral race, takes the place of Stephanie Williams Ray as chairman of the commission and will serve until Jan. 1, 2012. Hogan lost to Alvin Brown -- the first Democrat to win a mayoral election in Jacksonville since Ed Austin won in 1991.

Florida Republican Congressman Tom Rooney is backing an idea to stop congressional salaries if the federal debt ceiling stalemate leads to a default.

From his perch as chairman of the U.S. House Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Florida Republican Connie Mack proposed a solution to help lower gas prices in America -- bring oil in from Canada. The Florida Republican also said that this wouldincrease the nation's security. Mack called for President Barack Obama to quickly approve the Keystone XL pipeline which would send oil from Canadian fields in the United States.

A poll unveiled by Viewpoint Florida on Wednesday morning showed that Floridians were not happy with President Barack Obamas handling of the debt ceiling negotiations. The poll found that 57 percent of those surveyed disapproved of Obamas role in the negotiations, while only 40 percent approved of the presidents performance. A majority of those surveyed -- 52 percent -- supported raising the debt ceiling with a plan, while 20 percent wanted to raise the ceiling regardless. Twenty-four percent wanted to leave the debt ceiling where it was.

The Republican National Committee is unveiling a new ad Wednesday in key states. The fourth "Change Direction" ad is a 30-second clip that depicts a dire economic situation in January 2017, the end of President Barack Obama's "second term." It will air in Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Ohio and Iowa -- all states Obama won in 2008 which the RNC believes are vulnerable in 2012.

Florida's Citizens Property Insurance board voted 4-0 Wednesday to increase sinkhole coverage for homeowner policies by 430 percent statewide. Board members cited the sharp rise in sinkhole claims and the company's subsequent losses as the need for the increase. In 2010, Citizens took in $32 million in sinkhole premiums, but paid out $245 million in sinkhole claims.

Nick Loeb has his running mate. Sofia Vergara, the "Modern Family" actress, says she's all in for helping her boyfriend vie for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Florida. "Of course I will help him, why not?" she told "People" magazine. "I support him with everything. If that's what he wants to do in his life, I will be there for him."

Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday ordered the creation of the Governors Commission on Jobs for Floridians with Disabilities. Lane Wright, his press secretary, said it was to mark the 21st anniversary of the federal Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

Maybe Sen. Bill Nelson's callers like "baby talk." Dan McLaughlin, spokesman for Florida's Democratic senator, said the deluge of phone calls pouring in to the office today "were mostly supportive of the president's speech" on the national-debt debate. Barack Obama's Monday night address has been applauded by some as a mature call for a "balanced approach" and derided by others as "baby talk." McLaughlin said Nelson's office received "a way-above-normal 5,500 e-mails just this morning."