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

Conservative radio personality Joyce Kaufman is backing former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux for the Republican nomination to challenge Democrat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in November. Joyce Kaufman has been a common-sense, conservative voice for 20 years, LeMieux said in a statement sent out on Wednesday. She is unwavering in her beliefs, unafraid to speak her mind, and cautious when supporting political candidates. Joyce is an opinion leader of substance and value and I am honored to receive her endorsement for the U.S. Senate.

Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich ripped into a panel of federal judges that decided on Tuesday in a 2-1 decision on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that Proposition 8 -- a measure approved by California votes to recognize only traditional marriage in the Golden State -- was unconstitutional.

Tim Pawlenty entered the 2012 election cycle as a giant in the Republican Party and appears to be leaving it as a dwarf. The former Minnesota governor came close to being John McCains running mate in 2008 and, with his solid record in a swing state, he started the 2012 battle for the Republican nomination as one of the favorites. But Pawlenty failed to connect and quickly ran out ofsteam. After a third-place finish in the Iowa Republican straw poll in August -- behind fellow Minnesota Republican Michele Bachmann -- Pawlenty dropped out of the race.

Gov. Rick Scott, who has proposed a $1 billion jump in funding for K-12 education and repeatedly stated he wouldnt sign a budget that fails to have a significant education funding increase, praised the Senates education proposal released on Tuesday. I am pleased that the Florida Senate, like the Florida House, has answered my call to significantly increase education funding by advancing a proposal that provides over $1 billion additional state dollars for educating Floridas future, Scott stated in a release.