Big endorsement today for Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman in his bid to win the Republican nomination in the race to replace retiring Sen. Victor Crist, R-Tampa, from former Gov. Jeb Bush. Norman is facing Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Tampa, for the GOP nomination. Jim is a conservative leader who will fight to strengthen Florida's economy, advance education reform and do what's right for the people of Florida, said Bush.

Not only did Mike Tyson serve as the best man at Jeff Greenes wedding, he may have also given the candidate for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination campaign advice. Greene is coming out in the first rounds, throwing everything -- just like Tyson did against the generation of heavyweights who clogged up the division between Holmes and Holyfield.

An apologetic Scott Rothstein was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison today for masterminding a Ponzi scheme that bilked investors out of $1.2 billion. The disbarred Fort Lauderdale lawyer had pleaded guilty to conducting the financial scam that funded his high-flying lifestyle and bankrolled millions of dollars in contributions to politicians and political parties. His appearance in U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale attracted hordes of media outside the courthouse. More details and video upcoming.

Dana Young, who is facing a crowded Republican primary to replace retiring Rep. Faye Culp, R-Tampa, just received a big boost to her campaign -- an endorsement from the Florida Medical Association (FMA) PAC. As a mother of two, Dana Young will work hard to protect the rights of Florida's families to access quality health care, said Dr. Madelyn Butler, who is the PAC president and president-elect of the FMA. She understands that the doctor-patient relationship cannot be undermined by government intrusion.

With two new polls released today showing his campaign for the U.S. Senate mired in a distant third place behind independent Gov. Charlie Crist and Republican former House Speaker Marco Rubio, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, the leading Democrat in the race, took on BP and backers of offshore drilling in a speech to the America's Future Now conference. "Where are the conservatives, the 'Drill, Baby, Drill' people, now?" demanded Meek.

Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp just named his Miami-Dade team for his attorney general bid -- and once again assembles an impressive collection of Republican leaders.

A movie director, a congressman with the same name as a famous baseball manager and a professional wrestler turned governor walk into a bar or better yet, CNNs Larry King Live.

U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, national incident commander for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, has told British Petroleum America CEO Tony Hayward in a letter that the oil giant needs to give the National Incident Command [NIC] better access to its claims payment process and records.

New gubernatorial candidate Bud Chiles was in Pensacola yesterday and the independent taking on both the Democrats and the Republicans was not impressed with the efforts of both BP and the federal government to combat the Gulf oil spill -- so he is calling for local empowerment to manage the disaster.

President Obama is planning to visit Florida and other oil-impacted Gulf states early next week. The president will be making the rounds in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida Monday and Tuesday. Exactly when he will set foot in our state, where tar balls have started to wash up on North Florida beaches, has yet to be decided.

Attorney General Bill McCollums gubernatorial campaign team is ripping into Rick Scott who is also running for the Republican nomination. With the Scott campaign sending out campaign mail describing their candidate as a pro-life leader, Matt Williams, McCollums campaign manager, blasted Scotts conservative credentials on abortion.

Delays in the compilation and release of FCAT results have Florida Education Commissioner Eric Smith hopping mad. The lack of performance by the states new testing contractor, NCS Pearson, is absolutely unacceptable, and the delays we have encountered in the reporting of this years FCAT results are not indicative of the smooth, expertly-managed experience they promised as a part of the contract procurement process," Smith said today in a statement.

Former Rep. Loranne Ausley, the front-runner for the Democratic state CFO nomination, just announced that she is being backed by the Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA), a group with more than 36,000 members across the state.

State CFO Alex Sinks gubernatorial candidate just released a letter from legendary Democratic political strategist James Carville. I'm from Louisiana, wrote Carville. And I've seen firsthand the damage this oil spill has caused, and how unacceptable BP's response has been. As oil hovered just miles away and tar balls started washing up on Pensacola beaches last week, BP's CEO wasn't there to help. Do you know who was? Alex Sink.

I don't know how iconic this photo might be for the BP spill but I can appreciate the irony of it.