This is a tale of two cities. No, not Dickens' phlegmatic London and passionate Paris. Nor the two neighborhoods Charles Murray contrasted in his recent bestseller "Coming Apart" -- prosperous but isolated Belmont (actually, Mitt Romney's home for decades) and needy and disorganized Fishtown.
WASHINGTON -- When it comes to over-the-top politics, the Obama campaign has set a new standard with recent attempts to paint Mitt Romney as a felon.
Florida lawmakers are fond of passing resolutions that mean relatively little. So here's an idea for a new resolution: Declare mid-July as "Dog Days in Tallahassee."
But while the capital saunters through humidity and swarms of mosquitoes, campaign action is picking up in legislative races across the state. Redistricting and the exodus of longtime lawmakers have helped create a collection of marquee election battles.
As Floridas unemployment mark has slowly ticked down the last year and a half, two tracks have remained in place among the counties:
Walton, Monroe, Okaloosa, and Franklin counties, predominately rural communities that have a large dependence upon government -- have held the lowest monthly marks. Why? A little because of tourism jobs, but the greater factor is that Eglin Air Force Base aids both Okaloosa and Walton.
Government jobs prop up the employment picture.
The national media might be abuzz about the names on Mitt Romneys vice presidential shortlist, but in Florida many folks are mourning the prize they thought they had in the palm of their hands.
A shot at a place in the White House: either U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio or former Gov. Jeb Bush as Romney's running mate.
The largest swing state in the nation appears to be continuing its 167-year drought of not having a favorite son on a major partys presidential ticket.
Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, is in line to become Senate president after the 2014 elections and he has the edge in SD 13 over a Democratic opponent as he looks for a second term in the upper chamber.
While he has his eye on making a bid to serve as the president of the Florida Senate after the 2016 elections, Sen. Jack Latvala, R-St. Petersburg, has to first hold off a Republican primary challenger and defeat a Democratic candidate in November -- and the veteran legislator appears to be in excellent shape to keep his seat.
There was a hint of its about time Thursday, as Florida port leaders praised a federal announcement to speed up work at JaxPort. State officials took it as a sign the feds are joining their effort to push upgrades at Sunshine State port facilities.
