With Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson speaking in West Palm Beach, former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, who is running in a crowded Republican primary to take him on in 2012, took off the gloves and ripped into the senator on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, announced that he was backing Gov. Rick Perry of Texas for the Republican presidential nomination.

President Obamas big-government, Washington experiment has cost our nation more than 2.3 million jobs, said Cannon in a statement. Meanwhile, since just June 2009, Rick Perrys Texas is responsible for approximately 40 percent of the net new jobs in America.

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, who won the Iowa Republican straw poll earlier in the month, took off the gloves on Wednesday and tore into President Barack Obama and U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.

Craig Miller, the former CEO of Ruth's Chris Steakhouse who is running in the Republican primary to see who will take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, is holding the second of his Miller on Main Street events next week in Mount Dora. On Monday, Miller will be working at the A.W. Peterson Gun Shop which is owned by former state Sen. Carey Baker.

On Wednesday, Gov. Rick Scott applauded the news that the state Department of Environmental Protection would look to cut its budget by $700 million, mostly through arrangements with the five water management districts across the state.

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, still a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination despite his campaigns struggles this summer, took aim at the 'supercommittee set up by Congress as part of the deal to raise the federal debt ceiling. The committee is tasked with cutting $1.2 trillion from the federal government over the next 10 years.

On Wednesday, state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Herschel Vinyard said that a new agreement between his agency and the five water management districts could lead to Florida taxpayers saving more than $700 million and he intends to cut their slice of budget by that much next year. These savings come from reducing staff levels, debt management and cutting nonessential costs.

Supporters of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, cheered the news that a new poll from Rasmussen Reports showed their candidate in a dead heat when matched against President Barack Obama. The poll had Obama taking 39 percent and Paul right behind him with 38 percent.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Sandy Adams, who represents parts of the Space Coast, weighed in with the news that Hurricane Irene looks headed away from the Sunshine State.

While it appears Hurricane Irene is going to miss Floridas coastline, it is a good reminder of the threat our state faces from the hurricane season, insisted Adams on Wednesday.

On Tuesday night, Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio spoke at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and he offered warm words of praise for that conservative icon.Before giving the speech, Rubio came in with former first lady Nancy Reagan. Mrs. Reagan, who is now 90, had a fall and Floridas junior senator helped her recover.