Citing a recent Wall Street Journal article where Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group Chairman Terrence Duffy bemoans a rise in Illinois' corporate income tax, Gov. Rick Scott wrote a letter last week to Duffy attempting to lure his company to Florida.

Conservative leader Gary Bauer, who headed up the Family Research Council and ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, contrasted Republican front-runner Mitt Romney and possible presidential candidate Gov. Rick Perry of Texas on abortion in a message sent out to supporters on Monday.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw drew an opponent earlier this month, though it is a familiar face -- author Gary Koniz. The Jacksonville-based candidate ran against Crenshaw in 2010 as a write-in candidate with little success. He filed to run again against Crenshaw -- this time as a Democrat. While Crenshaw faced a challenge from conservative businessman Troy Stanley, who ran with no party affiliation in 2010, he faced no Democrats. Brian Michael Lieberman, with no party affiliation,has already filed to run against Crenshawin 2012.

Ron Rushing, a businessman who is running in a crowded Republican primary to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, appeared on the Ray Junior radio show (which is increasingly becoming one of the favorite forums for conservatives in Florida) on Monday night. Rushing came out swinging for the FairTax.

Speaking in front of the Statue of Liberty on Tuesday in New Jersey, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman entered the Republican presidential primaries. What we now need is leadership that trusts in our strength, said Huntsman in his speech. The father of seven children, Huntsman --who remains unknown to many voters across the nation and has been consistently trailing in the polls --offered a stark picture for the need to cut federal spending.

Gov. Rick Scott, who reportedly helped to push out former education commissioner Eric Smith, welcomed Virginia Secretary of Education Gerard Robinson as Smith's replacement Tuesday. Robinson was unanimously selected by Department of Education board members, and Scott lauded his work expanding charter and virtual school opportunities for students in Virginia.

Virginia Education Secretary Gerard Robinson has been selected as the new education commissioner for the Florida Department of Education, a DOE spokesperson confirmed Tuesday. Robinson, one of five finalists, was unanimously chosen by the DOE board members. He has served as head of education in Virginia since last year, after being tapped by Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell.

Mike Prendergast is out as Gov. Rick Scotts chief of staff as the governor announced on Monday that the retired Army officer would take over the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs if approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday. I can think of no better advocate on behalf of Floridas 1.6 million veterans, their families and survivors, than Mike Prendergast, said Scott. His devotion to duty and commitment to our military men and women will be evident in the way he advocates for their health and economic well-being.

Former U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman said last week that, while China's economy is wide open, its oppressive political system lags far behind -- and that signals trouble for the monster emerging nation down the road.

On Monday, Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio took aim at the national debt, introducing measures to curb it and reduce federal spending -- including a measure to defund the EPAs higher water regulations targeting the Sunshine State.

Quran-burning Florida pastor Terry Jones was mobbed by protesters outside the Arab International Festival in Dearborn, Mich., amid shouts of "Go Back to Florida." The Daily Mail reported Monday that scuffles broke out and six people were arrested as Jones walked down a street toward the festival with some of his supporters. Jones, from Gainesville, was in Dearborn, one of the most heavily populated Arab enclaves in the United States, to hold an anti-Islam rally and counterprotest against the festival, the Mail reported.

While Gov. Rick Scott continues to struggle in the polls, he has retained the support of some important business leaders. In Washington with Scott on Monday at the 2011 Governors Summit, Florida Chamber of Commerce President Mark Wilson praised the governors record on luring jobs to the Sunshine State.

With the Florida Education Association (FEA) suing to prevent reforms to state pensions passed by the Legislature earlier in the year and signed by Gov. Rick Scott, House Democratic Leader Ron Saunders of Key West made no secret of where his caucus stood on the matter.

The Florida Education Association, the state's largest teachers' union, filed a lawsuit Monday to prevent the 3 percent salary contribution from state workers that lawmakers passed and Gov. Rick Scott signed into law last month. Florida is one of the only states in the nation that does not currently require employee contributions to their pensions, but the FEA contends the law violates the state Constitution. Here is the FEA's release in full:

President Barack Obama's re-election camp keeps talking about the need to corral Hispanic votes in 2012. So, how come the president is going to skip the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Conference for the third year running? The conference begins Thursday in San Antonio. He even promised the group, as a candidate in 2008, that he would come roaring back to speak at their meeting.