Al Cardenas, the former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida and now the newly installed chairman of the American Conservative Union (ACU), is turning to an experienced pro to help him run the organization, naming Greg Keller as executive director.

Gregg Keller is highly respected in the conservative community nationally and Im very pleased to announce he will be joining the ACU team, said Cardenas. With Greggs help, ACU will continue to unite social, fiscal and national security conservatives for the tremendous opportunities we have in 2012 and beyond.

On Thursday, Gov. Rick Scotts team unveiled a website giving the public access to state records including contracts and state employee salaries and pensions.

This useful tool enhances public access to government records so taxpayers can see how their tax dollars are being spent, said Scott in a statement.

Scott expanded on that theme in a message on the site.

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, who moved to Florida last year, continued to take aim at Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.

Florida needs a conservative United States senator, insisted Huckabee in an e-mail sent out to supporters on Thursday. By his own actions, it is clear that Democrat Senator Bill Nelson has been in Washington, D.C., too long.

Uber-pundit Larry Sabato unveiled his latest Crystal Ball rankings for the Republican presidential nomination. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney tops the rankings with other candidates crowded behind him in various tiers. Sabato included Floridas own U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who has received increased attention as a possible presidential candidate in recent days, at the bottom of the second tier in tenth place.

Shane Strum, best known in Florida politics for his service as former Gov. Charlie Crists chief of staff, will be heading into higher education. Strum was named as associate vice chancellor of business development for Keiser University.

Reactions continued to pour in across Florida after the House joined the Senate in passing SB 736, a measure reforming teacher performance pay, on Wednesday afternoon. Gov. Rick Scott is expected to sign the bill into law.

Social conservative leader Gary Bauer, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000 and now leads the Campaign for Working Families PAC (CWF), weighed in on Wednesday on the increased calls that Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio should run for the Republican presidential nomination.

The House joined the Senate in passing SB 736 --a measure changing teacher pay based on performance and assessments instead of relying on seniority and tenure --on Wednesday after a lengthy debate. With the bill having passed both chambers of the Legislature, it now goes to Gov. Rick Scott who is expected to sign it into law.

With more than 250 Catholics from across Florida gathered in Tallahassee for Catholic Days at the Capitol, the Florida Catholic Conference presented legislators awards for fighting for the Churchs values in the public square.

The conference gave Rep. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, the Defensor Vitae (Latin for Defender of Life) Award, noting that the Republican legislator was continuing to push bills requiring parental notice for teen girls considering having abortions in Florida.

Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio joined 22 other Republicans in the Senate, ranging on the political spectrum from Richard Lugar of Indiana to Rand Paul of Kentucky, in sending a letter to President Barack Obama on Wednesday focusing on government spending and the deficit.