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

After losing Florida to Mitt Romney on Tuesday, Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich came out swinging on Thursday, comparing his GOP rivals stance on health care to that of President Barack Obama. The most important issue facing Republican voters in 2012 should be repealing the disastrous policy known as Obamacare. This policy isn't scheduled to be fully implemented until 2014, and once an onerous entitlement is established, it becomes near impossible to repeal, wrote Michael Krull, Gingrichs campaign manager, in an email to supporters sent out Thursday.

Now that the presidential primary is over and two GOP candidates have quit the U.S. Senate contest, George LeMieux is narrowing his focus on rival Connie Mack IV. With Hasner and Craig Millers departures this week, the U.S. Senate race is now in clearer focus. Connie Mack currently leads in the polls, but there is no doubt his lead stems entirely from having a well-known name, inherited from his respected father and great-grandfather," LeMieux said Wednesday.

Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, has released a statement after being removed by Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, on Wednesday from the Budget Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriation and the Senate Committee on Budget. Fasano, who has opposed the Haridopolos-backed prison privatization efforts now stalled in the Senate, was chairman of the Budget Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriation. Fasano's statement:

There will be no vote today on prison privatization by the Senate. A day after a contentious floor session with at least 10 Republican senators opposed or undecided on Senate Bill 2038, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, didnt bring the bill forward during the Senate session on Wednesday. The bill was temporarily approved by members Tuesday, with a number of amendments from Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, expected to be voted on during Wednesday's session.