According to a study from the University of Florida released Tuesday, consumer confidence rose this month in Florida and is now higher than it has been since August 2007. The study found consumer confidence rose 2 points to 81 in May.

The last time confidence was this high was August 2007 when it was 82, shortly before the Great Recession began, said Chris McCarty, director of UFs Survey Research Center in the Bureau of Economic and Business Research.

As summer begins, Rep. Ken Roberson, R-Punta Gorda, appears in excellent shape as he seeks a fourth and final term next year in the Florida House.

Representing all of Charlotte County, Roberson chairs the Health Quality Subcommittee and also serves on the Health and Human Services and Judiciary committees, the Select Committee on PPACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act), and the Business and Professional Regulation Subcommittee. Born in Bradenton in 1943, a funeral director by trade, Roberson has deep ties to the area.

With Gov. Rick Scott up for another term next year, Floridas gubernatorial race is expected to draw the eyes of the nation -- but so far the race is essentially on hold, especially when compared to 2010.

Rep. Holly Merrill Raschein, R-Key Largo, has drawn a major Democratic opponent as she seeks to defend one of the more competitive seats in the Florida House of Representatives.

Congressman Bill Young, who was first elected to the Florida Senate in 1960 and won a seat in Congress in 1970, shows no signs of going away as reports came out early this week that he intends to run for a 23rd term in 2014.

Young is assembling his war chest earlier this election cycle than has been his normal procedure. He brought in more than $58,000, including more than $43,000 from PACs, in the first quarter of 2013 and had more than $208,500 at the end of March.