Former Gov. Gary Johnson of New Mexico, the Libertarian Partys presidential nominee in 2012, weighed in late last week on the new year.

I believe 2014 will be a great year for liberty, Johnson emailed supporters on Friday. America has never been more fed up with big government. From learning of the NSAs abuses to experiencing the realities of government-run health care, Americans of all political persuasions are feeling the force of government in their personal lives like never before.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., came out swinging at the Castro regime ruling communist Cuba after reports emerged that democracy activists such as Berta Soler of the Ladies in White and Jose Daniel Ferrer of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU in Spanish) were arrested.

On Friday, U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., announced Polk County Deputy Sheriff Erin Killebrew Welch, who served as an aide to U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., is joining his staff as a field director.

Im thankful that Erin is joining our great team, said Ross. Her extensive knowledge of Polk and Hillsborough counties will serve my constituents from Floridas 15th Congressional District well.

On Monday, Florida TaxWatch released a report which finds re-entry programs reduce the prison population and expenses for taxpayers in the Sunshine State. In the report, Florida TaxWatch urged the state Department of Corrections (DOC) to promote substance abuse, education, faith-based and character-based programs and to help released inmates prepare to re-enter the job market.

U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., announced on Friday that his proposal allowing disabled Americans to have tax-free savings accounts has the backing of strong majorities in Congress, with 60 senators and 323 congressmen co-sponsoring it including every single member of Floridas delegation. Crenshaw urged both chambers to pass his Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act.

Kevin Cate and his team over at Cate Communications released a Web video on Friday for the holidays -- featuring a few familiar faces from Florida politics tackling a major security threat. Best of all, every view of the video raises $1 for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network up to $1,000.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., bashed the Obama administrations decision to offer hardship exemptions for people who lost coverage due to the federal health-care law.

Despite pleading guilty to cocaine possession back in November, U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fla., announced on Thursday he would not resign his office. After finishing rehab in Naples, Radel met the media in Cape Coral when he said he planned to stay in Congress.

A chorus of Republicans -- including Gov. Rick Scott and Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Chairman Lenny Curry -- have called for Radels resignation.

On Thursday, Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, teamed up with Rep. Charles McBurney, R-Jacksonville, to propose making committing crimes outside of the county the criminal lives, works or goes to school a third-degree felony.

Criminals that commit felonies outside of their home county are going out of their way to break the law and make it more difficult for law enforcement, said Hukill. We need to provide law enforcement with the tools to make our communities safe for our citizens.

Former U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., a favorite of conservatives and the tea party movement, endorsed former Marines Gen. Mark Bircher in the Republican primary in the special election for the open congressional seat left vacant by the death of U.S. Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla. West endorsed Bircher late on Wednesday over former Young aide David Jolly and state Rep. Kathleen Peters, R-St. Petersburg.