While Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum challenges the legality of the new federal health-care law in the courts, the state's two leading health-care associations are split on the program's medical and fiscal impact.
A letter from a high school junior calls the idea "beyond ridiculous." A pleading voicemail message tells legislators that students "want to have our teachers for next year."
Children have been flooding Republican senators with phone calls and handwritten letters, urging them to defeat an effort that would institute performance pay for Florida teachers.
Age: 47
Residence: Eustis
Time in the Legislature: 10 years
Political Affiliation: Republican
Spouse: Lori
Children: Leighton, Caroline, Reagan
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Just like my father. He owned A.W. Peterson Gun Shop and I used to work there. He's passed, but I still own and operate the shop. Its the oldest gun shop in the United States and has been open for 50 years.
What do you consider your biggest political achievement?
THE CAPITOL, TALLAHASSEE, March 30, 2010..... Despite initial projections that the university system could take major hits in next year's budget, university officials are relatively happy to see that they will likely see a budget between $3.41 billion and $3.5 billion, about on par with last year's.
While Gov. Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio's battle for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination is grabbing headlines, other Florida primary fights are also shaping up. Four Democrats have already announced plans to run for commissioner of agriculture.
Florida parents shopping for back-to-school deals may be able to avoid sales taxes if a bill creating a sales tax holiday works its way through the Legislature.
Florida has held sales tax holidays for seven of the last 10 years, but not since 2007. Gov. Charlie Crist called for a sales tax holiday in his State of the State address on March 2.
Touting his Cover Florida health program during his debate with Marco Rubio on "Fox News Sunday," Gov. Charlie Crist boldly declared:
"We negotiated with the private sector. We reduced the cost to those who were uninsured. We were able to provide access. And, the average cost for health insurance in Florida went from about $600 a month for an individual to about $150 a month. No tax dollars involved. No government mandates.
PHOENIX -- In 1994, when first running for Congress, J.D. Hayworth, who today is 51 and trying to wrest from John McCain, 73, the Arizona Republican Party's Senate nomination, went jogging in Washington wearing a T-shirt given to him by some Arizona loggers.
Age: 62
Residence: Greenville
Time in the Legislature: Two years
Political Affiliation: Democrat
Spouse: Susan
