America's presence in space took another leap backward when a Russian rocket bound for the International Space Station went down shortly after launch.

The unmanned vehicle, carrying 2 1/2 tons of supplies, broke up and crashed back to Earth last week. It was the first mission to the ISS since the United States retired its space shuttle program last month.

"This is exactly why I offered legislation to keep the shuttle flying," said U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge. "With the Russians, we have no backup plan."

Two more polls have found that Gov. Rick Perry of Texas has moved past both U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts to lead the Republican presidential pack in Iowa, site of the first caucus battle.

A poll of likely Republican caucus voters, taken by Magellan Strategies and released on Thursday, found that Perry topped the field with 24 percent with Bachmann, who won the Iowa Republican straw poll held in Ames two weeks ago, in second with 22 percent. Romney remained in the mix in third place with 19 percent.

This week, Florida Republican Congressman Vern Buchanan wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to demand the extradition of convicted terrorist Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who led the bombing of Pan Am 103 in 1988. The airplane bombing took270 lives.

The former head of security for a Libyan airlines company and three Scottish judges in a special court held in the Netherlands convicted Megrahi of the Pan Am bombing, which occurred over Lockerbie, Scotland, right before Christmas 1988.

Gov. Rick Scott may have one crucial ally in his nascent effort to overhaul higher education in Florida: State University System Chancellor Frank Brogan.

Brogan met with Scott earlier this year to discuss the controversial changes to higher education, which were first championed by Texas governor and Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry. The idea is to treat universities and colleges more like private businesses, with more scrutiny over professor and university performance.

I've always considered former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to be an astute political observer.

Tapping in to Florida's grassroots and tea leaves, Michele Bachmann takes her first campaign swing through the state this weekend.

Beginning Friday in Jacksonville Beach, then on to Orlando and Sarasota, the Minnesota congresswoman will seek to parlay her Iowa straw poll victory into top-tier status in the Sunshine State.

Bachmann's visit comes at a crucial time. Texas Gov. Rick Perry is surging in the polls and on Wednesday picked up the endorsement of Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park.