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

The Florida Democratic Party has released the following statement from Chairman Rod Smith on the presidential contest in the Sunshine State: On behalf of Florida Democrats, I wish President Barack Obama congratulations on his re-election and on winning Florida's 29 electoral votes.

Gov. Rick Scott joined elected local and state officials and executives from several Florida-based companies as dirt was turned for a ceremonial groundbreaking on Thursday for the Winter Haven Intermodal Rail Terminal.

Former Republican Charlie Crist, who so far isnt running as a Democrat to evict Gov. Rick Scott from the governors mansion, continues to criticize the 2012 election as Florida has yet to determine how its voters stood on the presidential election. Not embarrassing; shameful. This can never happen again, Crist tweeted out Thursday. The state remains too close to call between President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney from Tuesdays election. Absentee ballots continued to be counted in Miami-Dade County on Thursday morning.

Hunting Deutsch, a 30 year banking executive who oversees unemployment benefits in Florida as head of the Department of Economic Opportunity, picked up jobless benefits prior to landing the state gig, the Florida Current reports.