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

With two months to go until the Republican primary, U.S. Rep. Connie Mack continues to ignore his rivals to focus on Democrat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. The Mack team sent out an email to supporters on Friday that hammers Nelson but ignores the other Republicans in the race.

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, who has since moved to the Sunshine State, offered kind words for Max Page -- the little boy who made a memorable appearance in a Volkswagen commercial -- in an email to supporters sent out on Thursday.

Gov. Rick Scott, who has been a champion of building up Floridas port system in anticipation of capturing the growth in maritime trade, held a ceremonial signing of two transportation-related bills while at Port Miami on Thursday. Well over 1 million Florida jobs rely on international business, and along with international investment it accounted for about one-sixth of Floridas economy last year, Scott stated in a release while attending the Breaking Down Barriers to International Trade Forum hosted by the World Trade Center Miami.

The U.S. Senate voted 50-46 to table an amendment backed by a group of sugar users that would have phased out the federal sugar program, comprised of marketing allotments and import restrictions. Associated Industries of Florida took action against the legislation it deemed harmful to one of Floridas largest industries. The states premier business lobby group urged members of Congress to oppose the amendment to the 2012 Farm Bill, saying Florida sugar farmers provide 12,311 jobs and $3.3 billion of economic activity in the state.