After 10 Glorious Years, Sunshine State News and I Are Passing the Baton

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce unveiled a new television commercial slamming Gov. Charlie Crist who is running in the U.S. Senate election without party affiliation. The commercial indicts Crist in his own words, showing the governor calling for the repeal of new federal health-care laws backed by President Barack Obama in May but then saying in August that he backed those measures. The commercial also features other politicians -- 2004 Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Sen. John Kerry and U.S. Sen.

Sen. John Thrasher of Jacksonville, the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, weighed in on Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scotts new commercial linking Democratic rival state CFO Alex Sink to the Obama administration. Thrasher blew off Sinks objections that Scott needs to focus on national issues.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack on Tuesday offered strong words of support for Attorney General Bill McCollums lawsuit against new federal health-care laws backed by President Barack Obama.

Florida's Sen. George LeMieux was one of two Republicans Tuesday who voted for the U.S. Senate's long-stalled small-business bill. LeMieux -- along with Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio -- probably will be credited with getting it passed probably later this week. LeMieux said he'd always favored the bill, which President Barack Obama was pushing to create jobs. The idea was to provide credit-starved small businesses with borrowing opportunities. But, said the Florida Republican, "I was waiting for more Republican amendments to be considered."