The campaign team of Republican candidate Marco Rubio, the front-runner in the U.S. Senate contest, unveiled a new web video on Thursday showing Gov. Charlie Crist, who is running without party affiliation, changing his positions on abortion, the federal stimulus and the new federal health-care laws.

Former Gov. Jeb Bush offered his take on proposed amendments on the November ballot in an editorial on Thursday in the Tampa Tribune. Bush took aim at the hometown democracy amendment and two measures being backed by FairDistricts Florida.

Veteran journalist Juan Williams was fired by National Public Radio (NPR) on Wednesday after saying on Mondays Bill OReilly Show that he was nervous on an airplane when he saw passengers in traditional Muslim apparel. On Thursday, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who moved to Florida earlier in the year, called for Congress to review NPRs budget.

With former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin heading to Florida this weekend to back Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio, the campaign team of Democratic attorney general nominee Sen. Dan Gelber of Miami Beach is wondering why Palin is not helping their opponent Pam Bondi. Palin, who may run for president in 2012, backed Bondi in August -- right before Bondi beat Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp and former Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Holly Benson in the Republican primary.

An analysis on the economic impact of Amendment 4 released by Florida TaxWatch Thursday reveals that if adopted, it could cost Florida 260,000 jobs per year.

Republican Marco Rubio picked up 2 points in Sunshine State News' overnight tracking poll to widen his lead in the U.S. Senate race. The latest survey shows Rubio rising from 45 percent on Oct. 16 to 47 percent on Oct. 19 -- his highest standing since daily tracking in the three-way contest began Oct. 6. By contrast, independent Charlie Crist slipped 3 points to 27 percent and Democrat Kendrick Meek remains stalled at 23 percent.

Dr. Ed Moore, a prominent observer of the Florida political scene, called Wednesday night's gubernatorial debate between Alex Sink and Rick Scott "a bare-knuckled exchange, a real contrast in style, personality and experience."

Hours before his debate with Democratic candidate state CFO Alex Sink, Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott took aim at his opponent on Wednesday afternoon, attacking her as a liberal in a new television commercial. The commercial also attacks Sink for allowing felons to sell insurance in the state.

Citing "a possible conspiracy within the Republican Party of Florida," Florida TEA Party Chairman Fred O'Neal on Wednesday accused the GOP of making false or malicious statements against his party and its candidates. In a lengthy compendium of documents filed with Leon County State Attorney Willie Meggs and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, O'Neal charged that RPOF statements about the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party violated Florida Statute 104.271 and that RPOF's financing of a series of lawsuits against TEA violated FS 877.01.

Sunshine State News will release a new poll Thursday on the 22nd Congressional District race between Democratic Rep. Ron Klein and Republican challenger Allen West. The race, a hotly contested rematch from 2008, is shaping up to be much closer this time around. See the breakdown and the analysis here tomorrow, and find out why a Florida political consultant calls the bitter South Florida showdown "one of the great stories of 2010."

The NAACP released a report on Wednesday trying to connect the tea party movement to nationalism and even to racist organizations. You know, the tea party movement that elevated Marco Rubio's bid for the U.S. Senate; themovement to which possible presidential candidate Herman Cain speaks on an almost weekly basis.

Farid Khavari, who is running for governor with no party affiliation, launched his first radio ad of the campaign. In the ad, Khavari plays up his experience as an economist and tries to reassure Florida voters that they can trust him despite his Iranian birth. He also takes aim at the Republican gubernatorial candidate and Democratic nominee, state CFO Alex Sink, labeling them economic terrorists.

Incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos today announced that he has trimmed that chamber's operating budget by $1,063,239. Completing the hiring of the president's office and staff director positions, the Merritt Island Republican also announced the appointment of two state government veterans:

On Wednesday morning, Republican attorney general candidate Pam Bondi was endorsed by the Latin Builders Association, the largest Hispanic group in their industry in the nation, citing her commitment to economic growth and consumer protection.

Rasmussen Reports released a poll on Wednesday showing Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott aheadin the contest. Unlike other polls which showed a race within the margin of error, the Rasmussen poll had Scott ahead of Democratic rival state CFO Alex Sink by 6 points. The poll had Scott with 50 percent and Sink at 44; itshowed Scott pulling in Republican voters despite not being endorsed by bitter primary rival Attorney General Bill McCollum.