Businessman and retired Army office Mike McCalister, who took more than 10 percent when he ran for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2010, won the backing of a prominent conservative group on Tuesday for his bid to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012.

Veterans In Defense of Liberty Action Committee, which has tea party favorite Sharon Angle of Nevada on its board, voted to back McCalister for the Republican nomination.

From his perch as chairman of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committees subcommittee on oversight and investigations, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns on Wednesday will be looking at the role of the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in regard to medical devices.

Joined by fellow Florida Republicans U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller and U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster, U.S. Rep. Bill Posey unveiled a proposal on Tuesday that would ensure Social Security payments are made even if there is no debt ceiling agreement.

Posey took aim at comments from President Barack Obama last week that Social Security checks could be delayed if the debt ceiling is not raised.

On Tuesday, Florida U.S. Rep. Connie Mack sent a letter to his Republican colleagues in Congress urging them to vote against raising the nations debt ceiling.

A poll unveiled by Public Policy Polling (PPP), a firm with connections to many prominent Democrats, showed that U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota has overtaken former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts as the leader in the contest for the Republican presidential nomination.

On Tuesday, businessman Craig Miller, who is now running for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, backed the cut, cap and balance pledge. The pledge opposes raising the federal debt limit and backs a balanced federal budget and lower spending. It is supported by a number of prominent conservative organizations, including FreedomWorks, Club for Growth and the Family Research Council, as well as many Republican officeholders and candidates.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, who has represented parts of the First Coast and North Florida in Washington for more than a decade, offered strong support on Tuesday morning for the cut, cap and balance legislation that will be voted on in the U.S. House later in the day. The proposal opposes raising the federal debt limit and backs a balanced federal budget and lower spending.

Besides former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota announcing on Tuesday that he was going to speak at CPACs Florida event come September, he also revealed that he would speak at a debate held by the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) during the Presidency 5 straw poll, and he added two key additions to his team in the Sunshine State.

With state Senate President Mike Haridopolos bowing out of the Republican primary to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, the floodgates of conservative support have opened to back former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner for the GOP nomination.

Less than 12 hours after Haridopolos pulled out, FreedomWorks became the third conservative group to back Hasner on Monday.

More support from the conservative movement for former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasners bid for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012. On Monday, Hasner got the backing of the Concerned Women Political Action Committee (CWPAC).