Rumors of a growing rift between the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott are wildly exaggerated, says Senate President Mike Haridopolos.

The Merritt Island Republican dismissed as "pure hogwash" press speculation that leading GOP lawmakers are distancing themselves from Scott.

"On all the issues that matter, we're all together," Haridopolos said of Scott, House Speaker Dean Cannon and himself. "Leadership without equivocation supports [Scott]. We see eye to eye on every major policy front."

Stressing his agenda of reforming Medicaid and the state pension system, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, showed in his legislative opening address that he has far more in common with Gov. Rick Scott's objectives than he has disagreement.

He did, however, make a point of heaping skepticism on Scott's plan to cut taxes.

Haridopolos remarked that the state faces a $3.6 billion budget deficit. But his words fell on deaf ears, because although Scott attended the opening of the session in the Senate chambers, he left before Haridopolos' speech began.

On Tuesday, after opening the 113th regular session since statehood of the Florida House, Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, warned members in remarks about the perils they will be facing in challenging economic times.

166 year ago, Florida became the 27th state to join the United States of America, said Cannon. Since then, our states Legislature has assembled to address the great issues of the day. In some years, those issues were unique to Florida. At other times, like today, those issues were a subset of a much larger national conversation.

Dont expect Gov. Rick Scott to deviate much from his frequent message as he delivers his first State of the State speech Tuesday night before a joint session of the Legislature.

Jobs, and the need to attract more of them, will continue to resonate through the governors public discourse as he makes his first major speech since his inaugural address.

House Republicans met Monday to honor Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, tabbing him officially as speaker designate who will wield the gavel before the Florida House when the 2012 elections end.

As expected, Weatherford was elected without opposition from the Republican caucus.

Speaking from the well of the House, Weatherford praised servant leadership and said he will try to be a servant leader in his time as speaker.