Repeating the success of a heralded gubernatorial victory proved difficult for Rick Scott campaign manager, Susie Wiles, who now works for lobbyist Brian Ballard. Her latest candidate finished a distant fourth in the Jacksonville Mayoral Primary Tuesday, despite being the top fund-raiser. Wiles directed the campaign of Rick Mullaney, a longtime city lawyer and top adviser to term-limited Mayor John Peyton.

United Kingdom Ambassador Nigel Sheinwald gave a speech on the floor of the Florida Senate Wednesday, touting the bond between Britain and the Sunshine State, the need for greater amounts of trade between the two areas and Britain's involvement in imposing the no-fly zone over Libya. "Just as we offer a gateway to Europe, (Florida) offers a gateway to Latin America. Today 44,000 Floridians depend on U.K. investment for their jobs in a wide array of industries," Sheinwald said.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, the chairman of the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, said he did not blame U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for wanting to step down from her post. Mack, who is considering running against Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, said that President Barack Obamas recent trip to Latin America was not fruitful, especially as free-trade agreements with Panama and Colombia remained stalled in Washington.

On Wednesday morning, Gov. Rick Scott named Ken Lawson, who previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the middle district of Florida and was with the federal TSA, to head up the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Lawson also served as an assistant secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department. With his background in federal law enforcement, prosecution, and the military, Ken Lawson brings an impressive track record to DBPR, said Scott.

What Gov. Rick Scott billed as a "Facebook Town Hall" looked like a virtual shouting match Tuesday. But all the angst and anger was coming from Scott's detractors. Overcoming technical difficulties caused by waves of vitriolic rhetoric, Scott stayed on message and calmly answered more than a dozen questions. See Sunshine State News for a full report.

Tampa voters elected Bob Buckhorn their new mayor on Tuesday, continuing the Democratic Party's winning streak at City Hall's top office. With 90 percent of the vote counted, Buckhorn held a 30-point lead over Republican Rose Ferlita, a former city councilwoman and county commissioner. Tuesday's turnout was low, as residents appeared uninspired by two candidates who, at times, seemed almost indistinguishable in their policy pronouncements. As one Tampa poll observer put it, voters in the predominantly Democratic city "were staying away in droves."

Jacksonville went to the polls on Tuesday to vote in the first round to see who will replace Mayor John Peyton. Republican and tea party favorite Mike Hogan, currently serving as the tax collector of Duval County, pulled way ahead of the field with 35 percent. But while that is enough to place Hogan in first, he did not come near 50 percent which is needed to avoid a runoff. With 62 percent of the vote counted, Republican Audrey Moran is ahead of Democrat Alvin Brown by less than 1 percentage point --22.6 percent to 21.8 percent. Republican Rick Mullaney was in fourth with 16.6 percent.

State Sen. Paula Dockery cast the lone "no" vote against a bill that would allow additional bonding authority (i.e., taxes) for sports stadiums and other projects. Senate Bill 466, sponsored by Sen. Oscar Braynon, D-Dolphin Stadium... er, Miami Gardens ...cleared the Commerce and Tourism Committee on a 4-1 vote Tuesday.

Democracy Corps, a firm associated with legendary Democratic political operative James Carville, has released a new poll looking at the 50 most competitive congressional races in 2012. Of those 50 races, only three are taking place in Florida. Democracy Corps places the seat held by Republican U.S. Rep. Allen West in the most competitive tier, and those held by Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Young and U.S. Rep. Dan Webster in a lower tier.

Now, don't get your knickers in a twist when I say this, Congressman Allen West, but I really like Lois Frankel. A lot. That doesn't mean I'm going to vote for her, sir. She's the Democrat who just announced she's going after your seat in 2012. But Lois is a pistol. She's up to your sass. Watch out for her.

On Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott announced a new executive order, mandating drug tests for all prospective new hires of agencies within the governors purview and random drug tests for established employees in those offices. Floridians deserve to know that those in public service, whose salaries are paid with taxpayer dollars, are part of a drug-free workplace, Scott said in a statement. Just as it is appropriate to screen those seeking taxpayer assistance, it is also appropriate to screen government employees.

Tea party favorite U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was elected to the Senate in November and said he is open to running for the Republican presidential nomination. The Charleston Post and Courier is reporting that Paul spoke in South Carolina, the first Southern state to hold a primary, and expressed interest in running, provided his father, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, is not in the race. The elder Paul pulled 3.6 percent in South Carolina when he ran for the GOP nod back in 2008.

A bill that would reduce premiums for insurance policyholders, proponents say,narrowly passed through the Senate Budget Committee Tuesday, but not before an amendmentoffered by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey,was tacked on, which stripped the billof one of its main provisions.

Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne, offered the third in his series of video updates on the legislative session. In the video, Workman focused on a number of issues including the House passing teacher performance pay reform and a committee moving through a motion on pension reform for state employees.

Former House Majority Leader Adam Hasner continues to raise his profile as it appears very likely that he will enter what could be a potentially crowded Republican primary to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012. Hasner was the focus of a friendly piece over at National Review, the iconic conservative magazine, earlier in the month. On Monday, he appeared on the Mark Levin radio show -- and certainly sounded like a candidate.