The synergy between space and Florida's tech sector got rolling in Brevard County today. The Space Florida board of directors approved a research and development partnership with Avera Motors, a Rockledge-based firm whose parent company has a history of advancing space-related technologies. Under the partnership, Space Florida will purchase a prototype from Avera Motors, slated for delivery by early November.

Lost amid all the comparisons of President Barack Obamas dismissal of Gen. Stanley McChrystal is President Harry Trumans relieving Gen. Douglas MacArthur of command during the Korean War. Tomorrow marks the 60th anniversary of the start of that war which led to the showdown between Truman and MacArthur.

Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi and former Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Holly Benson are locked in a close race for the Republican nomination. On Thursday, Bondi sent a letter to the other two candidates calling for a series of debates, while Kottkamp issued a statement calling for them.

On Thursday, seven Broward County mayors -- including Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler, who is on Democratic gubernatorial front-runner state CFO Alex Sinks short list for lieutenant governor -- endorsed U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meeks bid for the U.S. Senate. The other mayors who backed Meek included: Jack Brady of North Lauderdale; Scott Brook of Coral Springs; Eric Jones from West Park; Peggy Noland of Deerfield Beach; Barrington Russell of Lauderdale Lakes, and Joseph Varsallone of Margate.

U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, the Republican candidate to be Floridas next commissioner of agriculture and consumer services, endorsed Attorney General Bill McCollum over health care executive Rick Scott for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

The battle over the "Florida Tea Party" -- or Florida TEA Party, if you prefer -- is escalating by the day. Following Wednesday's proceedings in federal district court in West Palm Beach, where tea groups sparred over who has the rights to the name, Everett Wilkinson declared to Sunshine State News: "I am the chairman of the Florida Tea Party." Wilkinson also identified himself that way when he accompanied Bill McCollum in Tallahassee on Friday, when the attorney general filed papers to seek the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

Trust Jeb Bush to put our pouting president in perspective. More than a year and a half after his election, President Barack Obama is still blaming his predecessor for his ills -- for "the battered economy, budget deficits and even the lax oversight of oil wells." Obama's predecessor happens to be Jeb's brother, George W. Bush, and Jeb isn't about to let Obama continue bashing his big bro without, well, a poke. Here's what Jeb told Matt Bai, as reported in the New York Times:

The Florida Family Policy Council sent out an e-mail naming this Sunday as a day of prayer on the oil spill in the Gulf. The release in full reads:

The profile in the New York Times on former Gov. Jeb Bush seems to have taken on a life of its own -- generating almost 400 stories in the past 24 hours, according to Google News -- not to mention a topic of panel discussion on Hannitys show on Fox News.

Behind health-care executive Rick Scott in the polls for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, Attorney General Bill McCollum is going on the offensive, launchingads attacking the new GOP favorite. Using dollars he walked away with from overseeing one of the most massive Medicare fraud schemes in history, Rick Scott has distorted Bill McCollums record of solid conservative leadership in Florida, said Matt Williams, McCollums campaign manager. Voters deserve to know the truth.

President Barack Obamas decision to remove Gen. Stanley McChrystal from command for intemperate comments is getting praise from U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek who is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

Facing a tough Democratic opponent in veteran Jacksonville news anchor Deborah Gianoulis, Sen. John Thrasher, R-Jacksonville, won the backing of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Unified Sportsmen of Florida (USF).

Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamps bid for attorney general is getting some backing from legislators in the eastern part of Central Florida today as three legislators, two of them former candidates for state Cabinet offices, endorsed the campaign.

Jim Cassady, the campaign manager for Democratic state CFO Alex Sinks gubernatorial campaign, just sent out an e-mail raising expectations for his candidates fund-raising efforts. Cassady said that the campaign had a goal of raising $10,000 this week -- a staggeringly low total with only one week left until the second quarter fund-raising deadline. Not surprisingly, Cassady announced that they have beaten that figure.

Earlier in the year, Republicans in both house of the Legislature sent a proposed constitutional amendment to the voters in November, allowing them to opt out of new federal health care laws backed by President Barack Obama. Now GOP leaders are getting organized to pass the amendment. The Yes on 9 campaign launched a Web site to organize the effort and the two chief sponsors of the amendment in the Legislature -- Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis and Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood -- are giving the effort a big thumbs up.