With Gov. Charlie Crist, who is running for the U.S. Senate without party affiliation, having kind words for Rep. Jennifer Carroll, R-Jacksonville, who Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott selected as his running mate, the team of U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, the Democratic candidate in the Senate race, is firing away at the governor.

Sen. John Thrasher of Jacksonville, the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, chimed in on GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott selecting Rep. Jennifer Carroll, R-Jacksonville, for his running mate.

Jennifer Carroll will make a tremendous lieutenant governor, said Thrasher. From her decorated service in the United States Navy, to her service in the Florida Legislature, to owning and operating a small business, Jennifer Carroll has truly lived the American Dream.

Incoming Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, praised Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott for selecting a member of his caucus, Rep. Jennifer Carroll of Jacksonville, as his running mate for lieutenant governor.

Associated Press is reporting that another oil rig has exploded in the Gulf. The explosion took place on Thursday morning, west of the site of the Deepwater Horizon explosion at the end of April. The Coast Guard is reporting no fatalities. Stay tuned for more information.

Peter Allen, one of the founders of the Independence Party who is now running for governor on that partys line, has named John Zanni as his running mate for lieutenant governor. One of the founders of the party who currently serves as the chair in Hillsborough County, Zanni is from Brandon.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is taking aim at Gov. Charlie Crist, who flipped out of the GOP to run for U.S. Senate without party affiliation. The NRSC sent out an e-mail to supporters Thursday, letting Republicans know the governor -- a Republican until former House Speaker Marco Rubio caught up and passed him in polls for the GOP primary -- is open to giving back campaign money.

Former House Speaker Marco Rubio, the Republican candidate in the U.S. Senate election, offered high praise to GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott for picking Rep. Jennifer Carroll, R-Jacksonville, as his running mate on Thursday.

On Thursday, Bud Chiles pulled the plug on his gubernatorial campaign, endorsing Democratic candidate state CFO Alex Sink.

Chiles, the son of Florida political legend Lawton Chiles who served as both a U.S. senator for three terms and governor for two terms, ran without party affiliation instead of remaining a Democrat like his father.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scotts selection of Rep. Jennifer Carroll, R-Jacksonville, is earning him praise from at least one social conservative leader who was behind Attorney General Bill McCollum in the GOP primary.

Rick Scott, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, named Rep. Jennifer Carroll, R-Jacksonville, as his running mate on Thursday, announcing in Jacksonville that he wanted the former Navy officer as his lieutenant governor.