Florida TaxWatch released its annual list of state budget "turkeys" Tuesday, totaling $203 million in potential savings, but Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, the vice chair of the Budget Committee, has taken issue with the list, labeling it a "fading media gimmick."

With former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi staying out of the Republican presidential race, the field of candidates to take on President Barack Obama seems a bit shallow in one of the GOPs strongest bases -- the South. Despite a rough start to his presidential campaign this month, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich looked to play up his Georgia roots on Tuesday when he named three veteran politicians from the Peach State to lead his campaign.

Gov. Scott signed HB 283 Tuesday in the Port of Tampa, which eliminates state security measures at Florida's 14 seaports that duplicated federal security regulations.

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota hit the Sunshine State on Tuesday, a day after announcing his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, and won some warm words from a favorite son of Sunshine State Republicans -- former Gov. Jeb Bush.

Two candidates for the Republican presidential nomination -- former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum -- are hitting the Sunshine State on Tuesday and Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith showed on Monday that he is taking one of them seriously.

Smith attacked Pawlenty -- and also threw a jab at former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts -- for hemming and hawing on backing the proposed budget crafted by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and backed by congressional Republicans.

The Florida Public Service Commission has formally accepted the resignation of executive director Timothy Devlin, which he submitted Monday under pressure from commissioners.

Commission chair Art Graham, who reportedly helped to push Devlin out, praised his 35-year tenure with the PSC.

During a press conference on Florida's emergency operation preparations ahead of hurricane season, Gov. Rick Scott was asked if he would run for president in 2012, with the news of Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels staying out of the race dwindling the Republican field further. He swiftly shut down the notion.

"I'm not running for president, I don't intend to run for president. There's a lot of great candidates, and it looks like there'll probably even be more," Scott said.

Scott added that he is focused on his main job of getting the state back to work.

Although Florida hasn't been hit with a major hurricane in five years, Gov. Rick Scott on Monday, at the state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, highlighted the importance of advanced preparation ahead of a storm.

"It's is important to remain prepared. Disaster response is a team effort; local organizations play a vital role in assisting Floridians during response and recovery," Scott said.

But apart from disaster response, it is residents who can do the most to protect themselves in the event of a storm.

Big win last week for conservative leader John Stemberger, best known for his role with the Florida Family Policy Council. The Florida Bar dismissed a complaint brought against Stemberger who is the attorney for Rifga Bara, who converted from Islam to Christianity and fled her family and community up in Ohio. Omar Tarazi, an Ohio attorney and Muslim who represents Baras parents, filed a $10 million defamation lawsuit and a complaint with the Florida Bar against Stemberger for comments the Florida conservative made on Fox News.