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

A new poll from Mason-Dixon has Attorney General Bill McCollum regaining the lead over health-care executive Rick Scott in the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. The new poll had McCollum at 34 percent and Scott at 30 percent -- a dramatic change from a week ago when the poll had Scott up 37 to 31. The poll of Republican voters surveyed from Aug. 9-11 had a margin of error of +/- 5 percent.

On Thursday morning, Jeff Greene took a shot at U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, his chief rival for the Democratic nomination in the U.S. Senate race, saying that the congressman was milking taxpayers to pay for his car.

U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek is attempting to rally the Democratic base in an effort to win the primary election on Aug. 24 over Jeff Greene. Besides proclaiming the announcement of the National Organization of Women on Thursday, Meek launched a new ad -- highlighting the fact that President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton are backing his campaign. Look for Meek to push this even harder in the next two weeks, especially as Obama will be in Florida this coming weekend and will be holding a fund-raiser in South Florida for the state party on Aug. 18.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott will join Tea Party activists this morning (Thursday) in West Palm Beach to protest the so-called "Big Sugar Bailout" by the South Florida Water Management District. SFWMD's board is considering a 28,000-acre, $197 million purchase of U.S. Sugar lands as part of Everglades restoration. Opponents contend that the purchase is politically driven and environmentally questionable. But Scott is entering a political swamp himself as various tea groups bicker over their respective agendas and authenticity.