Yoooo-hoooo, George Bennett ... We're over here, we're over here!

Even with a dismal 20.9 percent voter turnout, Republicans Rick Scott and Pam Bondi amassed enough votes to oust better-known, established party candidates Bill McCollum and Jeff Kottkamp.

RNC Secretary Sharon Day, who John Thrasher defeated earlier in the year to become chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, offered warm congratulations to Rick Scott for defeating Attorney General Bill McCollum in the Republican gubernatorial primary on Tuesday.

Former Senate President Ken Pruitt, who retired his seat in 2009 to return home and be closer to his family, won his primary race Tuesday and now is the Republican nominee for property appraiser in St. Lucie County. Pruitt, who took 55.88 percent of the vote, defeated real estate property manager Judy Culpepper (44.12 percent). He will have Democratic and third party opposition in the general election.

Bud Chiles, running in the gubernatorial race without party affiliation, welcomed Democratic nominee state CFO Alex Sink and Republican nominee Rick Scott into the general election contest late Tuesday.

Give the Florida TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party credit. It knows how to stir up controversy ... and maybe even a victory. In a bit of strategic timing, TEA Chairman Frederic O'Neal endorsed Rick Scott the day before the primary election. The endorsement was immediately challenged by other tea groups, which have a pending lawsuit against O'Neal, alleging that he illegally appropriated the name.

Senate President Jeff Atwater, the Republican candidate for state CFO, offered warm words for GOP gubernatorial nominee Rick Scott and attorney general nominee Pam Bondi late Tuesday.

With the Republican nomination secured, Rick Scott issued an invitation to all Floridians from all parties to join his campaign. And he'll take all the help he can get. "What I say to every Floridian, come join us. If you can imagine Florida with full employment, come join us. If you can imagine schools that put our children first, come join us. If you can imagine a government that is small and smart and focused on serving you, come join us."

Beating the Republican establishment in a costly and combative campaign, Rick Scott seized the GOP nomination for governor Tuesday. Scott's narrow victory over Attorney General Bill McCollum was hard-fought to the finish. As midnight approached, McCollum still wasn't ready to concede. A prolonged ending would be a fitting conclusion to a bitter, five-month campaign in which McCollum accused Scott, a former CEO at Columbia/HCA, of financial misdealings while Scott tarred McCollum as a career politician.

U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd defeated Senate Minority Leader Al Lawson of Tallahassee in the Democratic primary by the smallest of margins -- 51 percent to 49 percent with more than 82,000 votes already counted. Republicans were already targeting Boyd, and this primary result puts a huge bulls-eye on the congressmans forehead. Funeral home owner Steve Southerland smoked the Republican field -- winning 47 percent with more than 60,000 votes cast.

With more than 32,000 votes counted, Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman claimed 55 percent of the vote to defeat Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Tampa, in the Republican primary for the Senate seat held by Sen. Victor Crist, R-Tampa.

Pam Bondi, a little-known Hillsborough County prosecutor just four months ago, triumphed over two more established party rivals to win the Republican nomination for attorney general. Buoyed by dissatisfied GOP voters looking for a fresh face, Bondi beat Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp and former state administrator Holly Benson to earn the right to face Democratic nominee Dan Gelber in the Nov. 2 election.

In the crowded Democratic primary to replace U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, Sen. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami Gardens, won with almost 35 percent with more than 36,000 votes counted. Dr. Rudy Moise placed second with 16 percent. With no Republican in the race and only an independent candidate in Wilsons path in this heavily Democratic district come November, Wilson appears headed to Congress.

Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, easily prevailed over former Leon County Democratic Chairman Rick Minor in the Democratic primary. With more than 20,000 votes cast, Rehwinkel Vasilinda won almost 69 percent of the vote. It looks like she will face businesswoman Kirk Headley-Perdue. While she had the RPOFs backing and outspent plucky conservative activist Ann Yarko in the Republican primary, Headley-Perdue carried 55 percent while Yarko took 45 percent with more than 13,000 votes cast.

State Sen. Dan Gelber won the Democratic nomination for attorney general Tuesday, handily beating fellow Sen. Dave Aronberg. Gelber, D-Miami Beach, launched his campaign against the Republicans, saying, Im running for this office because the attorney generals office -- like so many in Tallahassee -- has forgotten its purpose. "Instead of having the back of Floridians, it has become a prop for politicians looking for a political boost."