Gain one 2008 presidential candidate, lose one -- and throw in a second round draft-pick.

Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia, one of the most respected political pundits in the nation, released his latest take on the November elections and is predicting a big gain for Republicans at the national level.

Economist Farid Khavari, who is running for governor without party affiliation, is a heavy underdog in the race -- and that has not changed with his selection of Darcy Richardson to serve as his running mate for lieutenant governor. Still, the Richardson pick could help Khavari. Richardson, who lives in Jacksonville,is a familiar name to many political activists and junkies in the state. Besides serving as the campaign manager for former U.S. Sen.

Reactions to the news that Bud Chiles, who is running without party affiliation, would drop out of the gubernatorial race on Thursday and endorse state CFO Alex Sink, the Democratic nominee, broke along party lines.

WJXT is reporting that Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott will announce Rep. Jennifer Carroll, R-Jacksonville, as his running mate on Thursday.

Carroll, the first African-American woman to serve as a Republican in the Legislature, is part of the House leadership and will help Scott reach out to establishment Republicans who backed Attorney General Bill McCollum in the primary.

The campaign team of Bud Chiles announced on Wednesday afternoon that their candidate would end his independent gubernatorial bid on Thursday in Tallahassee and endorse state CFO Alex Sink, the Democratic nominee. While some polls showed Chiles pulling in the teens, he simply was not able to gain traction to pose a challenge to Sink or Republican candidate Rick Scott.

On Wednesday afternoon, House Democrats turned to Rep. Adam Fetterman of Port St. Lucie to respond to Speaker Larry Cretuls, R-Ocala, letter maintaining that a special session is not needed to remedy the economic damage caused by the oil spill in the Gulf.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services wants people to know Florida's seafood from the Gulf of Mexico is good to eat. Starting this week, Charles Bronson & Co.air this ad in the Panhandle promoting the commercial fishing industry.

While it doesn't mention the BP oil disaster by name, it does say, "After a difficult summer, it's a new day in the Gulf." It continues to point out that "Safe, wholesome Florida seafood is available at your local fish market or seafood restaurant."

U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, the Democratic nominee in the U.S. Senate race, looked to fence in Democrats straying to back Gov. Charlie Crist, who is running without party affiliation, by having U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson send a fund-raising e-mail to supporters labeling the governor as a conservative.

Crist may want us to forget he's a conservative Republican, but the past keeps coming back to haunt him, wrote Grayson who included kind words from Crist for Sarah Palin in the e-mail.

Looks like the final nail is in the coffin for another special session of the Legislature in 2010.

House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, announced on Wednesday morning that the committees he had authorized to kick over options to handle the fiscal impact of the oil spill in the Gulf finished their assignments and he forwarded the various committee recommendations to his members.