Crushing his rivals in the polls, leading both Gov. Charlie Crist who is running with no party affiliation and Democratic nominee U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek by double digits, former House Speaker Marco Rubio, the Republican candidate in the U.S. Senate, unveiled a two-minute ad where he makes his closing pitch. Rubio talks about the unique nature of America and ignores his rivals in the spot.

The Florida Optometric Association apparently had its eyes on the attorney generals race -- the group announced on Tuesday that they were backing Republican candidate Pam Bondi for the position over Democratic rival Sen. Dan Gelber of Miami Beach.

The Wall Street Journal has a story today on the demise of the Democratic Blue Dogs in Congress. The piece didn't mention Rep. Allen Boyd by name, but his picture might as well have been on the cover. Blue Dogs, those supposed fiscally conservative budget hawks, are being swept away by voters who believe they aren't conservative enough.

Republican Mike Prendergast, a retired Army officer, hammered Democratic rival U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor on Tuesday, attempting to link her to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. When Representative Nancy Pelosi gave her inaugural address as speaker of the House in 2007, she vowed there would be no new deficit spending, wrote Prendergast to supporters. Since that day, the national debt has increased by $5 trillion, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. Castor and Pelosi equal more spending for them and less take home pay for us. Let's send them packing!

Democratic attorney general candidate Sen. Dan Gelbers campaign team continued to attack Republican rival Pam Bondi on Tuesday for connections to national Republicans. Continuing their line of attack concerning Bondi being aided by the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC), the Gelber team took aim at the RSLCs connections to Karl Rove, the strategist who was affiliated with George W. Bush.

Florida TaxWatch released a look at gubernatorial candidates Alex Sink, the Democratic nominee, and Republican Rick Scott on Tuesday, offering voters a side by side comparison of the two rivals on education in what is shaping to be one of the closest races in memory.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink fired a campaign worker after the worker broke the rules and text-messaged her during a commercial break in a nationally televised debate Monday night.

On Monday, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson named a familiar face to Florida as the executive director of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force -- John Hankinson, who was the regional administrator who oversaw the Sunshine State during the Clinton administration and headed up the Planning and Acquisition Department and theOffice of Land Acquisitionfor the St. Johns River Water Management District. He also was with the Legal Environment Assistance Foundation in Tallahassee and served as a policy analyst in the Office of Planning and Budgeting under Gov. Bob Graham.

Gary Bauer, best known for leading the Family Research Council and running for the Republican presidential nomination back in 2000, took aim at the Florida TEA Party on Monday. In an e-mail to supporters, Bauer made it clear he thinks the third party, which is running conservative activist Peg Dunmire for the seat held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, is being backed by the Democrats --a belief held by many Florida Republicans.

The debate between gubernatorial candidates Democratic state CFO Alex Sink and Republican nominee Rick Scott ended with a quick series of questions -- most of which had nothing to do with Florida.

The debate between gubernatorial rivals Rick Scott and Alex Sink turned toabortion, with moderator John King from CNN pointing to a new law in Nebraska that does not permit abortions to be performed after 20 weeks. Scott went back to environmental issues which had been the topic before a commercial break. DCA has killed jobs across the state, said Scott, noting that Ave Maria University took years to build due to needing 78 permits.

With the event more than halfway over, the debate between state CFO Alex Sink and Rick Scott finally turned to Florida issues. King asked both candidates about the states continuing economic woes, including a near 12 percent unemployment rate. Scott lashed out at Gov. Charlie Crist and Sink, noting the states unemployment rose during the last four years. Let me clarify whos been in charge in Tallahassee, said Sink. Its been one party -- Rick Scotts party. Sink noted Crist and the leadership in the Legislature were all Republicans.

After a break, the debate between gubernatorial rivals Democratic candidate state CFO Alex Sink and Republican nominee Rick Scott continued to focus on ethical issues.

As the close contest to be Floridas next governor enters its final week, Democratic candidate state CFO Alex Sink and Republican candidate businessman Rick Scott crossed lances in their last debate of a contentious election battle. The debate, which was moderated by CNNs John King and broadcast nationally by that news channel, was held at the University of South Florida in Tampa. King was joined by Adam Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.

Sunshine State News will release a poll Tuesday on the hotly contested 8th Congressional District race between Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, and former state Sen. Daniel Webster. The contest, which also includes TEA and NPA candidates, has been highlighted (lowlighted?) by a series of controversial TV ads from Grayson. Republicans are eager to knock off the first-term Democrat, and Webster had a 7-point lead in last month's poll. Check the latest numbers here tomorrow morning.