A poll released by Rasmussen Reports on Wednesday finds U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, the heavy favorite to win the Republican nomination, has a solid lead over Democrat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in Florida.

The poll of likely voters finds 46 percent backing Mack while Nelson lags behind with 37 percent. While 10 percent are undecided, 7 percent say they support other candidates in the race. Other polls have shown a closer contest, however; a Rasmussen poll in April had the numbers reversed with Nelson taking 47 percent and Mack trailing with 36 percent.

The gloves came off on Wednesday as U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams ripped into fellow Florida Republican U.S. Rep. John Mica. The two square off in a primary contest on Aug. 14 in a rare battle between two congressional incumbents.

Adams took aim at Mica on earmarks on Wednesday, insisting that he was a strong supporter of them.

On Tuesday, the U.S. House Ethics Committee vote unanimously -- by a 9-0 vote -- to dismiss allegations raised against U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., on personal finance ethics violations. While the committee did find that Buchanan had committed errors on financial disclosure statements, it ruled that these were not major enough to punish the Florida congressman. Buchanan lateramendedthe financial statement to correct the errors.

Expect Florida to once again be the political frontline in November as a new poll shows a tight contest between President Barack Obama and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts to take the 29 Electoral College votes in the Sunshine State.

A poll of likely Florida voters taken by Rasmussen Reports shows that Romney takes 46 percent of those surveyed while Obama is right on his heels with 45 percent. While 4 percent remain undecided, 5 percent say they plan on backing other candidates in the race.

U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams is facing a challenging primary in August when she clashes with fellow Florida Republican U.S. Rep. John Mica. Adams played up her stances on immigration on Tuesday when Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the Arizona law enforcement official who has won national attention on immigration and investigating President Barack Obamas birth certificate, backed her re-election.

In his endorsement, Arpaio pointed to Adams record in law enforcement and in Tallahassee.

Attorney and veteran Ron DeSantis continues to gain the support of conservatives at the national level as he runs in a crowded Republican primary for a new congressional seat ranging from the First Coast to Volusia County. On Tuesday, Citizens United Political Victory Fund (CUPVF) announced they were backing DeSantis and contributing $5,000 to his campaign. Citizens United is best known for itssuccessfulappeal to the Supreme Court on campaign finance laws.

Businessman Donald Trump, who flirted with running for the Republican presidential nomination, will be honored by a county Republican Party in Florida on the eve of the GOP convention in Tampa.

On Monday, the Republican Party of Sarasota County announced that Trump, who had also been open to running as the Reform Partys presidential candidate back in the 2000 election cycle, would be honored as the 2012 Statesman of the Year at a dinner on Aug. 26 -- the day before the GOP convention opens.

Presidential campaigns are not like youth soccer. Not everyone gets a trophy for merely participating. While some of the losing candidates can position themselves for the future, raise their profile or, like Mike Huckabee and Alan Keyes back in the day, get their owntelevisionshow, some of them pave the way for their political downfalls. Case in point -- a Republican congressman who was starting to gain a foothold of a national following before he ran for president and quickly imploded.

On Thursday, the Eagle Forum PAC and conservative leader Phyllis Schlafly chose sides in one of the most interesting Republican congressional primaries in the nation when they backed U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams over U.S. Rep. John Mica.

Sandy is exactly the kind of leader we need in Washington, said Schlafly in a statement. She is a fierce defender of life with a proven record as an effective conservative leader.

Schlafly pointed to Adams record in Tallahassee as well as in her one term in Congress.

Former Gov. Buddy Roemer of Louisiana shows no signs of heading to the political sidelines despite pulling out of the presidential race in May. Roemer first set his eyes on the Republican nomination but, after being left out of the debates, he went third party as he attempted to snag the nominations with Americans Elect and the Reform Party. With Americans Elect opting not to run a presidential candidate in 2012, Roemer ended his presidential bid.