In a highly unusual move, a state consumer advocate asked the Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday to block regulators from considering a controversial rate settlement proposed by Florida Power & Light.

Public Counsel J.R. Kelly, whose office represents consumers statewide in utility issues, wants to halt the Florida Public Service Commission from acting on the proposed settlement, which was announced in August by FPL and some major power users. Kelly said in a petition filed with the court that a settlement should not go forward without his office agreeing to it.

Congressional District 22 -- rock-ribbed conservative Adam Hasner vs. outspoken liberal Lois Frankel -- has something many districts do not: more than a quarter of its voters are up for grabs. They don't belong to any party.

Yet, a Sunshine State News Poll of 750 likely voters in the district shows that only 6 percent of the undecideds remain that way.

Conducted by Voter Survey Service (VSS) of Harrisburg, Pa. on Oct. 14-16, the poll puts Republican Hasner and Democrat Frankel dead even at 47 percent.

As two of Florida's three Haitian-born legislators contest their primary election defeats through the courts, one of them is insisting his conflict isn't just with his opponent, but with the very leadership of his own Democratic Party.

Most political pundits know that presidential debates, particularly these absurd "town hall" debacles, are more about who makes a gaffe or has an "oops moment" than about who brings the better policy to the table.

In conjunction with Voter Survey Service (VSS) of Harrisburg, Pa., Sunshine State News will release survey results and analyses in two of Florida's most fiercely contested congressional races on Thursday and Friday

VSS, a division of Susquehana Polling and Research Inc., is the same firm that in 2010 conducted some of the most accurate polls taken of races in the Florida primary and general election.