Citing concerns over the state's $3.5 billion budget deficit,Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, stated Wednesday that he does not support using state funds for Florida's high-speed rail project, which would connect Tampa to Orlando. "It's something the people would like to have, it's just something we can't afford using state dollars," Haridopolos said.

Businessman Herman Cain, who ran for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination in Georgia back in 2004, announced on Wednesday that he was forming an exploratory committee to look at running for the GOPs presidential nomination in 2012. Cain, who was the president and CEO of Godfathers Pizza and National Restaurant Association, has been a favorite of the tea party movement, speaking at numerous events during the 2010 election cycle, including one in Clay County back in October. He currently hosts a talk-radio show out of Atlanta.

At the end of December, in his final days as governor, Charlie Crist sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack asking that 35 of the states 67 counties be included in a USDA Secretarial Emergency Declaration.Floridians whose crops or livestock were impacted by the weather could be eligible for various programs, including loans, through the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and other federal agencies if Vilsack makes such a declaration.

The future of high-speed rail in Florida is increasingly appearing to be one of the leading issues in the Sunshine State in 2011 as Barney Bishop, the president and CEO of the Associated Industries of Florida (AIF), doubled down his organizations support of rail projects. On Wednesday, Bishop announced AIF would be leading a new coalition to back high-speed rail.

Floridas two U.S. senators offered their thoughts on the one-year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti.

The Democrats clearly think they may have an issue to hit Gov. Rick Scott with as Rep. Hazelle Rogers, D-Lauderdale Lakes, joined Democratic Senate Leader Nan Rich of Weston in taking on the new governors freeze of all contracts that will cost the state more than $1 million

Will Deborah Cox-Roush get the sympathy vote at Saturday's RPOF meeting in Orlando? A new e-mail citing nasty statistics from Mothers Against Drunk Driving assailed the party vice chairman for her 2004 drunk driving arrest and added more backroom intrigue to the RPOF chairman contest. Whoever sent the e-mail -- MADD officials say it wasn't them -- may, in a weird way, end up helping Cox-Roush's candidacy.

Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Margate, said Tuesday that there isn't likely to be a pension reform bill before the next 30 days, as legislators await actuarial reports for the state's retirement system, but some type of reform bill is inevitable. "Reform is coming," said Ring, who chairs the Senate Government Oversight and Accountability Committee.

The honeymoon for Gov. Rick Scott is clearly over -- at least as far as Florida Democrats are concerned. Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich of Weston said on Wednesday that Scott should end the freeze on state transportation contracts and tried a little political jujitsu to turn one of the Republicans strengths against him.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has her eyes on the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, released a video with her thoughts on the tragedy in Arizona that took place on Saturday -- and defended herself from critics who have attacked her rhetoric.

Veteran Republican strategist Mark McKinnon peered into a crystal ball and sees former Gov. Jeb Bush on the horizon for the GOP in 2016 in a piece on The Daily Beast.

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is seriously considering running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, focused on a new policy from the U.S. Postal Service in an e-mail sent out to supporters on Wednesday.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney appeared on Neil Cavutos show on Fox Business on Tuesday night to talk about federal fiscal issues. Rooney called for increasing the debt ceiling but also demanded spending cuts.

Florida TaxWatch and the Reason Foundation teamed up to create a study on how government and businesses can work together to reform the corrections system. The study, entitled Corrections 2.0: A Proposal to Create a Continuum of Care in Corrections through Public-Private Partnerships, can be found here. The study estimate that Florida can save between $71.2 million and $101.7 million through reforms resulting from public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, offered a video update to his constituents on Tuesday, keeping them current about committee work in Tallahassee. Gaetz focused on a key piece of his legislation for his Panhandle district -- the Oil Spill Recovery Act. In the update, Gaetz cheered the passage of his bill through committee.