Politico reported on Wednesday that, if he enters the 2012 Republican presidential primary, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman will be setting up base in Orlando. Ben Smith weighed in on the matter, maintaining that Huntsman was looking to head off former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts:

Memo to Gov. Rick Scott: Amtrak is on its way to a $616 million loss, even as it posts record ridership numbers. The hemorrhaging rail line reported this week that it will require even larger government subsidies if it is to continue operations. Ditto for Tri-Rail, the three-county commuter train that serves Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties in South Florida. Amtrak's dire financial outlook comes as the passenger line is on pace to carry a record 28.7 million riders. Amtrak said its biggest losses come on long-distance runs.

A Saudi Arabian student in Palm Bay could face deportation after she allegedly spit on customers at a Wal-Mart and said a "higher authority" made her do it. Nuha Mohammed Al-Doaifi, a 21-year-old engineering student at the Florida Institute of Technology, was arrested on a battery charge. But hate-crime charges could be coming as Al-Doaifi told police she spit on "white people" because "Americans are pushing us around."

This is an UPDATED Kevin Derby blog | Posted: May 17, 2011 9:35 PM And we have another close race in Florida as it appears that the mayors race in Jacksonville is so close that provisional and absentee ballots will determine the winner.

Gov. Rick Scott is in the process of a thorough review of the budget, and Tuesday he pledged to trim the $69.7 billion budget sent to him by the Legislature. "As you know, the budget meets my three core principles by reducing the cost and size of government while also providing tax cuts for business and property owners. I can tell you, though, that there will be additional savings. In these tough economic times we must ensure that every hard-earned tax dollar is used wisely and in a way that will get Florida back to work," Scott said.

On Tuesday, Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio introduced a proposal that would allow states that refused federal funds to direct those monies to help pay down the national debt. Earlier in the year, Gov. Rick Scott turned down federal funds directed toward building a high-speed rail linking Orlando and Tampa. Read the full story in Sunshine State News now.

With the federal government reaching the congressionally mandated debt limit on Monday, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan repeated his call for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring a balanced budget. We cant wait any longer, said Buchanan on Monday. "It is imperative that Washington make the tough choices necessary to balance the budget for taxpayers today and for future generations. Todays announcement only makes the urgency that much greater.

Staking a claim to socially conservative voters, Miami-Dade mayoral candidate Julio Robaina signed a "Marriage Protection Pledge" that defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Robaina is in a hotly contested 11-person race to succeed Carlos Alvarez, who was recalled by voters earlier this year. On Sunday, one of Robaina's prime opponents, county commissioner Carlos Gimenez, won the endorsement of the Miami Herald. The Christian Family Coalition applauded Robaina, mayor of Hialeah, for taking a stand for traditional marriage.

Former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner announced on Tuesday that his bid for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012 is getting additional support from a national figure affiliated with the conservative movement -- Fox News pundit Moncia Crowley.

Reintroducing the twice-failed DREAM Act for illegal aliens, congressional Democrats are hoping that a mandatory E-Verify employment-screening law will make their third attempt a charm. Immigration-control groups call it a losing proposition. DREAM, which would award in-state tuition and federal financial aid to students here illegally, remains highly controversial with the American public.

The Republican Party of Florida released a video on Monday featuring Esther Scott praising her son, Gov. Rick Scott, for his performance in his first months in office. During the 2010 election cycle, the Scott team ran commercials featuring the candidates mother.

A poll released on Monday showed that Florida is up for grabs in the Republican presidential race.

On Monday, Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio offered his take on the federal government reaching the debt ceiling.

The conservative Club for Growth organization released the first of its white papers on the candidates who are running for the Republican presidential nomination and looked at former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia.