After finishing in fifth place in the Iowa caucus on Tuesday night and flopping badly in a series of debates, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas is bypassing New Hampshire -- which holds its primary this coming Tuesday -- to lay it all on the line on South Carolina, which hosts its primary on Jan. 21.

Perry surprised most pundits on Wednesday when he announced that he is staying in the race. The Texas governor sent out a Tweet in which he revealed he was headed to South Carolina to campaign there.

Gov. Rick Scott is once again making travel plans. This time the destination is Spain, Floridas 34th largest trading partner.

The excursion would mix business development with possible tourist development tied to the pending quincentennial of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon y Figueroas first expedition to Florida.

A spokeswoman for the governors office called the plans preliminary and deferred comment to Enterprise Florida.

It is time to have an honest discussion about Internet sales tax and separate fact from fiction.

When federal officials extended Florida's controversial Medicaid pilot program last month, they required the state to funnel an additional $50 million to improving care for low-income patients.

That much was clear.

But a state panel grappled for hours Thursday with how to carry out the requirements -- an issue that, ultimately, will land in the laps of Florida lawmakers.

While Mitt Romney has enjoyed relatively soft treatment from the mainstream media, a recent front-page article in the Washington Post telegraphed the cheap shots Republicans can expect in the general election.

WASHINGTON -- After every other conservative alternative to Mitt Romney crashed and burned (libertarian Ron Paul is in a category of his own), from the rubble emerges Rick Santorum. But he isn't just the last man standing.

Opponents and proponent of bills that would allow mega-casinos in South Florida and establish a statewide gaming commission aren't ready to fold with the approach of the first do-or-die committee vote.

On Thursday, representatives from a number of construction-based groups gathered at a Tallahassee employment center to highlight their support for the revamped bills they say means long-needed work for those in their industry.

See video here.

While most eyes are on the battle for the Republican presidential nomination and the upcoming session of the Florida Legislature which opens next week, the team behind U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, who is running for the Republican nomination to challenge Democrat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, continues to plan ahead for their campaign.

Jeff Cohen, Macks campaign manager, sent out a memo on Thursday to key supporters arguing that his candidate had great momentum in the race.

As the days tick down until Tuesday when New Hampshire voters hold the first presidential primary, former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts continues to lead over the pack of Republican presidential hopefuls in the Granite State.