Look for George LeMieux to remain a major player in national and Florida politics.The former U.S. senator isn't going anywhere.

At first glance, LeMieux confronts major challenges to remaining politically viable. In 2009, he was appointed to the U.S. Senate by his old ally, then-Gov. Charlie Crist. While LeMieux was Crists chief of staff, he supported Marco Rubio in the contest for the Senate seat in 2010, when Crist jumped ship on the Republicans to run for the seat with no party affiliation.

Amid the ruins of the 2012 presidential election, Republicans are finally awakening to the fact that the coalition that propelled Ronald Reagan to two decisive electoral wins is no more.

While Republicans. from presidential candidates down to school board members, continue to invoke the Gipper as often as they can, the fact remains that even the youngest voters who could have punched the ticket for Reagan back in 1984 are now at least 50.

The National Journal released a poll this week that contained even more bad news for Paul Ryan, vice presidential candidate who failed to deliver Wisconsin for Mitt Romney on Election Day.

The National Journal Political Insiders pollshows that only 9 percent of Republican leaders surveyed think Ryan would be the strongest presidential candidate in 2016. That puts Ryan in a tie with Rick Santorum for third, far below Marco Rubio who led the poll with 40 percent and Jeb Bush who placed second with 27 percent.

Democrat Bill Nelson made the state and the nation a promise in his acceptance speech Tuesday night: He said he will be the voice of moderation, the voice of bipartisanship. He said he will work to unite the country.

Nelson, who won reelection to his U.S. Senate seat by 55 percent, said he will "try to reach across the aisle and bring people together to build consensus, so we can govern this country."

It sounded so good to so many. Will Nelson accomplish it? Will he actually make the effort this time, in his third term?

Politico reported last week that Randy Fine was looking at getting out of a state House race and into the open Republican primary to replace Marco Rubio in the Senate.

At first glance, it makes little sense for Fine to get into the Senate race. Religious and social conservatives will balk on supporting Fine who has worked in gaming for much of his professional life. The business community in Florida remains divided on whether gambling should be expanded and wont be thrilled to see Fine put that issue back in the spotlight.