Jim Cassady, the campaign manager for Democratic state CFO Alex Sinks gubernatorial campaign, just sent out an e-mail raising expectations for his candidates fund-raising efforts.

Cassady said that the campaign had a goal of raising $10,000 this week -- a staggeringly low total with only one week left until the second quarter fund-raising deadline. Not surprisingly, Cassady announced that they have beaten that figure.

Earlier in the year, Republicans in both house of the Legislature sent a proposed constitutional amendment to the voters in November, allowing them to opt out of new federal health care laws backed by President Barack Obama. Now GOP leaders are getting organized to pass the amendment.

The Yes on 9 campaign launched a Web site to organize the effort and the two chief sponsors of the amendment in the Legislature -- Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis and Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood -- are giving the effort a big thumbs up.

The White House's attempt to temporarily ban new offshore oil-drilling projects in U.S. waters came a cropper in Federal District Court Tuesday.

A federal judge issued an injunction on a six-month moratorium for deepwater drilling issued by President Barack Obama and his administration. The judge, Martin Feldman, said the administration failed to give adequate reason for the temporary ban, the Associated Press reports. A single-rig failure did not mean all deepwater drilling was dangerous, the judge ruled.

The Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida, Inc. (ABC) just announced they were backing Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, for CFO.

Gary Stout, chairman of ABC, expressed Atwaters fiscal conservatism in the endorsement.

"ABC stands for free enterprise, lower taxes, and fiscal responsibility and Jeff Atwater shares our philosophy," said Stout. "We look forward to doing all we can to elect Jeff Atwater the next CFO of Florida."

Former House Speaker Marco Rubio, running for the U.S. Senate as a Republican, offered his take on the debate held this morning between the two leading Democratic candidates in the race -- U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek and Jeff Greene.

Democrats in the Legislature are going all out to urge Gov. Charlie Crist to hold a special session this summer to deal with the BP oil spill.

Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota, and Rep. Rick Kriseman, R-St. Petersburg, sent a letter to the governor Tuesday urging him to convene the Legislature. Both Gelber, a candidate for attorney general, and Fitzgerald are considered possibilities to be picked by CFO Alex Sink, the leading Democratic gubernatorial candidate, as a running mate.

The debate between the two leading Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek and billionaire investor Jeff Greene, is over. The two candidates have very different styles and backgrounds -- yet generally agree on most of the issues. Greene was a little abrasive and Meek was a little wooden -- and often seemed like a broken record, repeating the same talking points over and over again.

The debate between Kendrick Meek and Jeff Greene seemed to be fizzling out since they both agreed on a number of issues. But then when asked about the federal stimulus bill backed by President Obama, Meek praised the measure -- and then bashed Greene for his role in Wall Street scandals.

We would have gone into a depression, not a recession, if it wasnt for the stimulus bill, said Meek before bringing up Greenes record again.

Greene went back to his background in business -- and job creation.

Sure, one is a congressman and one is a billionaire. They have different styles of campaigning and debating. But Jeff Greene and U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek shared some of the same positions. They were both open to nuclear power in Florida if it is safe. Both expressed support for Israel and were critical of President Barack Obamas policies towards that nation. They both were critical of Iran. They are not that different on the issues.

Jeff Greene has been very effective in presenting his biography in this debate. He responded to U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meeks claim that he was not a Floridian by reminding the congressman that he got his drivers license in West Palm Beach when Meek was 3 years old. He brought up the fact that he washed dishes at the Breakers. Greene said he was the only candidate who signed the front and back of paychecks, and blasted Meeks record in Congress. Meek is doing better in the debate now -- talking about the oil spill and Social Security. But Meek sounds like a broken record.