Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, released a statement Monday praising district court Judge Roger Vinson's ruling declaring part of the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional, and urging the U.S. Senate to take up the health care repeal bill passed by the U.S. House. It was a chance for Haridopolos to chide U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson's support for the health care law. He has already announced his intention to replace Nelson, provided he makes it through what is likely to be a crowded field for the Republican nomination.

Florida district court Judge Roger Vinson ruled part of the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional Monday, becoming the second judge to do so in the past two months. Judge Vinson ruled the individual mandate portion of the law, which outlines penalties or taxes on those who do not obtain health insurance coverage, as unconstitutional. Other federal judges have upheld that part of the law. Florida is joined by 25 other states in the lawsuit. Full story to follow.

Florida district court Judge Roger Vinson is expected to issue a ruling Monday in the lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act, in which Florida is joined by 25 other states. Judge Vinson, a Reagan appointee, has hinted he will declare at least a portion of the law -- the individual mandate outlining penalties for those who do not obtain health insurance -- unconstitutional, as a judge in Virginia did in December.

U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, will not seek the Republican nomination for president or vice president in 2012. The GOP field is wide open, but no one was asking about the freshman congressman's presidential aspirations -- until he was interviewed Saturday at the Conservative Republican Forum. "Well, of course not," West said in response.

The Florida Bankers Association on Monday blasted a proposal by the U.S. Department of Treasury requiring banks to report interest payments to nonresident alien individual depositors to the Internal Revenue Service. This proposal will literally drain tens of billions of dollars from the U.S. economy, said FBA President and CEO Alex Sanchez.The impacts would be hard-hitting and immediate.

South Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, demanded that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak respond to mass protests by holding democratic elections. The Egyptian people need to be afforded a peaceful venue to express their will, said Ros-Lehtinen. "Mr. Mubarak should listen to the demands of the Egyptian people for freedom and immediately schedule legitimate, democratic, internationally-recognized elections.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. John Mica, the new chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said that he had little faith in the Transportation Security Agencys (TSA) plans to reduce its private contracted screeners. Instead, Mica said the TSA needed to reduce the size of its own work force.

While people across the state and nation wait for U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson of the Northern District of Florida to release a decision on the constitutional challenge launched by Florida against the federal health care law backed by President Barack Obama, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. David Rivera offered his take on the matter.

State Rep. Ken Roberson's recent e-mail response to a concerned constituent didn't inspire much confidence in the lawmaker's grasp of the state's proposed rail projects. The Port Charlotte Republican's Jan. 28 e-mail attempted to rebut criticism of the multibillion-dollar high-speed rail line that would connect Tampa and Orlando. But conflating that project with the SunRail commuter line in Orlando, Roberson wrote:

Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, the incoming House speaker who is currently chairing the House Redistricting Committee, unveiled a new website designed to include the public in the cumbersome, chaotic and often confusing process of drawing up new seats at the legislative and congressional levels.

MEMO TO: Mike Huckabee, et al. SUBJECT: Mormons running for president News that Jon Huntsman is planning toleave his post as U.S. ambassador to China to explore a bid for the White House sets up an intriguing prospect: Two Mormons battling for the Republican presidential nomination. Huntsman, a wealthy industrialist and former Utah governor, and Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and head of the Salt Lake City Olympic Games, are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Florida Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, offered her thoughts on the events in Egypt late last week. "For far too long the democratic hopes of the Egyptian people have been suppressed. Their cries for freedom can no longer be silenced, she said. "I am deeply concerned about the Egyptian government's heavy-handed response seeking to silence the Egyptian people. It is imperative that all parties involved avoid violence.

The author of a new book -- "Vote Thieves: Illegal Immigration, Redistricting, and Presidential Elections" -- suggests that Florida's two new congressional seats are due, at least in part, to illegal immigrants. Wait. What? "There is a paradox to redistricting that is not discussed," says Orlando Rodriguez. "Immigrant destination states, such as Florida, may gain additional congressional representation because of their population of undocumented residents."

Across all 50 states the only self-financed politician to run for a major office and win is Rick Scott. Scott nearly didn't. His victory in the Florida gubernatorial race cost him $75 million and still boiled down to only a 1 percent, down-to-the-wire squeaker. But his accomplishment was some incredible feat considering other well-heeled candidates who paid their own way:

Risking the umbrage of Central Florida lawmakers, Gov. Rick Scott froze four contracts worth $235 million for the proposed SunRail commuter train. The line -- slated to link downtown Orlando with Seminole, Volusia and Osceola counties -- has drawn fire from local activists as a financial boondoggle. Scott has been similarly skeptical of rail ventures.