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

Gov. Charlie Crist issued an executive order on Friday extending unemployment benefits in Florida until December -- changing Florida statutes after the battle in Congress this week over benefits. We simply cannot desert the 250,000 Floridians who qualify for the extended federal assistance signed into law yesterday, said Crist. I am committed to exercising my constitutional duty to authorize the use of available federal funds to help out-of-work Floridians who qualify for this help.

With Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel of New York facing ethics troubles in the U.S. House, Republicans are focusingin on one of his key allies in Florida -- U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, who is facing a tough challenge from Jeff Greene for the Democratic nomination in the U.S. Senate race. With Meek receiving more than $5,000 from Rangels campaign and PACover the years, the National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC) has been asking the Floridian to return the funds. Meek and Rangel served on the House Ways and Means Committee.

Looks like there is a third member of the Florida congressional delegation in Minnesota Republican U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmannsnew Tea Party caucus -- U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw. Crenshaw joins fellow Florida Republicans U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis and U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns in the new organization. Congressman Ander Crenshaw is a member of the Tea Party caucus, an informal group of members dedicated to promoting Americans call for fiscal responsibility and limited government, wrote the Crenshaw staff.

Marco Rubio is "proud to earn the endorsement of U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the leading voice of job creators," according to a tweet he posted this morning. An article in the Associated Press states that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is pledging to help the presumed Republican nominee for U.S. Senate pull ahead in a tight three-way race. Currently, Rubio lags behind Gov. Charlie Crist in the polls. The AP reports the chamber will announce Saturday at an event in Orlando that Rubio will benefit from roughly $75 million they expect to spend on campaigns in the fall.