A federal appeals court dealt a severe blow Friday to Republican gubernatorial contender Bill McCollum blocking a key portion of the states public campaign finance law which has already steered $1.7 million in taxpayer cash to his underfinanced campaign.

With Sen. Alex Villalobos, R-Miami, retiring due to term limits, Rep. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, has mustered an impressive campaign to take his place. Having raised just under $576,000 and spent more than $200,000, Flores has cleared the deck of all serious challengers while still keeping an impressive war chest intact.

Representing parts of Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas counties, Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, looked vulnerable at the end of the first quarter of 2010. Shehad only raised more than $44,000 and spent more than $20,000 of that. Yet, despite the unimpressive fund-raising, Joyner is headed back to the Senate for a second term without any November opposition.

While the political spotlight remains on the close and dramatic contests for the governorship and the open U.S. Senate seat, a number of intriguing contests are shaping up for Florida Senate seats in both primaries and in the general election.

WASHINGTON -- Weve heard much these past few years about small town values, most recently iterated and personified by Sarah Palin.

It never ceases to amaze that Oliver Stone thinks Ronald Reagan was a dunce. When it comes to judging iron-fisted dictators and anti-American despots, Stone is the intellectually incurious simpleton. He thinks Reagan was stupid because he clung to an all-encompassing ideology. But so does Stone.

It appears voters in this district in Miami-Dade will be exchanging one Garcia for another. With Sen. Rudy Garcia, R-Hialeah, retiring due to term limits, former Rep. Rene Garcia, a Republican who served in the House for eight years, appears to be cruising back to Tallahassee. Rene Garcia has raised more than $317,000 for the race and has spent almost $136,000. With no Democrat in the race, he will face write-in candidate Alexis Dominguez come November.

With Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, leaving the Senate, voters in this Miami-Dade district will see a familiar name on the ballot -- his brother, Miguel. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, whohas served on the Miami-Dade County Commission,has put together an impressive campaign so far -- raising almost $491,000 and spending more than $121,000.