After Gov. Rick Scott replacedRod Jones on the Board of Chiropractic Medicine this week, his father Sen. Dennis Jones, R-Seminole, who has clashed with Gov. Rick Scott over prison privatization, made it patently clear that he would be willing to campaign for another Republican in 2014.

Jones said he expects a primary challenger to arise because of Scotts low approval ratings.

If his numbers dont go any higher, I cant image hed run anyway, Jones speculated.

Republican lawmakers can say they were correct to focus on the new boundary lines just around the eight Senate districts initially declared unconstitutional.

The Florida Supreme Court ruled Friday that the Senates second attempt to redraw its political boundary lines is valid.

The decision means lawmakers with an eye on 2012 Senate contests can begin to crank their campaigns into gear. If the court had rejected the map, the justices would have overseen the drawing of new lines before the candidate-qualifying period in June.

While his team revealed last week that Newt Gingrich would end his bid for the Republican presidential nominationnext week and back Mitt Romney, the former congressional leader continued to campaign in North Carolina.

Dont expect an overhaul of the task force looking at state self-defense laws. Anti-gun proponents are not going to replace those already named to the diverse panel on the eve of the groups first meeting.

Gov. Rick Scott said the selection of people to the statewide group was a no-win situation, as he anticipated that no matter who was appointed to the 19-member Citizens Safety and Protection Task Force, there surely would be a backlash.

Sen. Thad Altman of Melbourne -- described by some among the GOP faithful as "a moderate Republican" -- could be facing major challenges from members of his own party as he prepares to run for a second term.

First elected in 2008, Altmans district (SD 24) currently includes parts of Brevard,? ?Orange and Seminole counties. The new district, SD 16, passed by the Senate and approved by the Florida Supreme Court on Friday, contains parts of Brevard and Indian River counties.

Among the GOP victories in 2010, none was sweeter than that of Marco Rubio.

Arguing they are being hit with an "unfunded mandate," 47 counties filed a lawsuit Thursday that challenges the constitutionality of a new state Medicaid law that could cost them hundreds of millions of dollars.

The local governments, joined by the Florida Association of Counties, indicated they will seek an injunction to try to quickly block parts of the law. The association announced earlier this month that it would file the lawsuit in Leon County circuit court.

With buzz increasing that U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio could end up on the Republican presidential ticket, the junior senator from Florida looked to highlight his conservative credentials this week on foreign and domestic policy, even as a prominent figure from Florida politics said he did not have the necessary experience to be vice president.

Gov. Rick Scott said he is still reviewing a bill that many anti-Castro Miamians support but that the Florida Chamber of Commerce says could harm economic growth in Florida.

Scott, speaking Thursday on South Florida Spanish-language station 1020 AM, said he will be briefed on the impact of House Bill 959 before the May 5 deadline to sign, veto or allow the bill to become law without his signature.