Theres a new narrative in the battle for the U.S. Senate seat in November -- Republican candidate Marco Rubio has a solid lead over Gov. Charlie Crist, who is running without party affiliation, and Democratic nominee U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek.

Sunshine State News ran a poll on the U.S. Senate race last week that had Republican candidate Marco Rubio leading both opponents -- Gov. Charlie Crist, who is running without party affiliation, and Democratic nominee Kendrick Meek -- by double digits.

Well, that didnt take long. With Christine ODonnell winning the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in an upset in Delaware on Tuesday, Democratic U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas sent out an e-mail to supporters on Wednesday trying to link her Republican opponent, Rep. Sandy Adams of Oviedo, to ODonnell.

Republican efforts to hammer Democratic candidates for state office in Florida on national issues continued on Wednesday when Sen. John Thrasher of Jacksonville, the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, attacked Sen. Dan Gelber of Miami Beach, the Democratic nominee for attorney general, for backing new federal health-care laws supported by President Barack Obama. Thrasher also criticized Gelber for not supporting a legal challenge launched by Attorney General Bill McCollum against the new federal measures.

Tea party activists hailed the defeat of two establishment Republicans up North. Christine O'Donnell defeated nine-term Rep. Mike Castle for the Republican nomination for Joe Biden's Senate seat in Delaware. And Carl Paladino beat former Rep. Rick Lazio for the GOP nomination for New York governor. Both O'Donnell and Paladino ran insurgent campaigns against well-known Republicans -- and their outsider, come-from-behind tactics heartened Florida TEA Party chairman Fred O'Neal.

Florida Republican U.S. Sen. George LeMieux may be ending his short stint in Washington but he continues to garner some attention -- and not just for his key vote in saving President Barack Obamas small-business loan program. LeMieux was on MSNBCs Morning Joe with former U.S. Rep. Joe Scarborough, who represented the Panhandle in Congress as a Republican, and touched base on a number of subjects.

While U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, a vice-chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, continues to increase her national profile -- holding a media event on Tuesday with DNC chairman and former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine to attack Republicans for considering another shutdown of the federal government -- her Republican opponent continues to pound her for supporting new federal health-care laws backed by President Barack Obama.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce unveiled a new television commercial slamming Gov. Charlie Crist who is running in the U.S. Senate election without party affiliation. The commercial indicts Crist in his own words, showing the governor calling for the repeal of new federal health-care laws backed by President Barack Obama in May but then saying in August that he backed those measures. The commercial also features other politicians -- 2004 Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Sen. John Kerry and U.S. Sen.

Its fair to say that Gov. Charlie Crist has been at loggerheads with Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, and House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, all year. From the protracted fight over SB 6 to the less-than-an-hour special session of the House earlier in the summer, the Republican leadership of the Legislature and the governor who abandoned the GOP to continue his bid for the U.S. Senate without party affiliation have not exactly had a healthy relationship in 2010.

Sen. John Thrasher of Jacksonville, the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, weighed in on Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scotts new commercial linking Democratic rival state CFO Alex Sink to the Obama administration. Thrasher blew off Sinks objections that Scott needs to focus on national issues.

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, telephoned me today to take issue with our story, "Alcee Hastings Rolls Over Another Token Opponent." The nine-term congressman, who's all but assured of a 10th, took umbrage at our suggestion that he hasn't bothered to seriously campaign this year.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack on Tuesday offered strong words of support for Attorney General Bill McCollums lawsuit against new federal health-care laws backed by President Barack Obama.

On Tuesday, the Florida Chamber of Commerce announced the endorsement of Senate President Jeff Atwater of North Palm Beach, the Republican nominee for state CFO. Jeff Atwaters tremendous experience as a business leader makes him the best prepared candidate for state CFO, said Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson. His background has provided him with unique insight into insurance and financial issues, and given him a strong understanding of the burden that taxes and regulations place on businesses and families.

Florida's Sen. George LeMieux was one of two Republicans Tuesday who voted for the U.S. Senate's long-stalled small-business bill. LeMieux -- along with Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio -- probably will be credited with getting it passed probably later this week. LeMieux said he'd always favored the bill, which President Barack Obama was pushing to create jobs. The idea was to provide credit-starved small businesses with borrowing opportunities. But, said the Florida Republican, "I was waiting for more Republican amendments to be considered."

U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw is calling on residents of the Fourth District, which stretches from the eastern outskirts of Tallahassee all the way to Jacksonville, to help his office identify veterans who served in the armed forces between 1941 and 1979 to be recognized at a ceremony that will be held at Mayport in the fall.