Amid ongoing anxiety about the Republican field for U.S. Senate, Jeff Atwater is drawing interest and enthusiasm from conservative activists across Florida.

The state's chief financial officer told the political website Shark Tank that he is considering a run for the seat currently occupied by Democrat Bill Nelson.

That news set off a boomlet for Atwater in GOP circles.

Though the Republican Party remains officially neutral, GOP leaders and strategists were clearly buoyed by the prospect of the former state Senate president entering the contest.

After an initial foray into the 23rd Congressional District, Republican Joe Goldner says he is running against Rep. Alcee Hastings in neighboring CD 20.

"I'm staying in 20, no matter what. It's on my petition," said Goldner, who was originally ticketed for a five-way GOP contest to face Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fort Lauderdale.

Goldner said he has gathered the necessary petitions to face Hastings, D-Miramar. "I'm all alone in CD 20," he said.

A cyber-squatting congressional candidate who controls nearly two-dozen Internet domain names of Republican rivals is under increasing pressure to release them, or face complaints with the Federal Election Commission.

Sunshine State News, which reported earlier this month that "Friends of Trey Radel" had purchased six website addresses of fellow candidate Chauncey Goss, on Monday obtained an expanded list of domain names owned by Radel's campaign.

Some 2.2 million Florida students in grades 3-10 will buckle down for FCAT exams on Monday amid heightened and unprecedented security.

Determined to root out cheating at all levels, the state Department of Education implemented several new protocols last fall and expanded on them this year.

Another in a series of profiles of candidates in Florida's 6th Congressional District.

Standing up to special pleaders at City Hall is good practice for Capitol Hill, says Richard Clark, a Republican candidate in Florida's 6th Congressional District.

"I've been fighting fees and taxes the whole way," says the seven-year councilman from Jacksonville.

"A lot of people, including Republicans, wanted us to put more money in the system. You have to be really strong because they come from all sides," Clark told Sunshine State News in an interview.

Florida remains in the doldrums when it comes to generating wind power, but the wind industry is producing more jobs in the state, a national report shows.

The American Wind Energy Association reported Thursday that the Sunshine State is home to 15 plants manufacturing wind-power components for use elsewhere.

The facilities range from GE Energy's turbine manufacturing plant in Pensacola to Atlantic Bearings' power-transmission parts supplier in Doral.

A 16th company, turbine maker 5D, is set to crank up an assembly plant in Sarasota this year.

Called "courageous" by House Republicans and branded "extreme" by Democrats, Rep. Paul Ryan's budget bill has split the GOP's conservative base.

The measure, which would cut federal spending by $5.2 trillion over 10 years, was approved by the House. But it has no prospect for passage in the Democrat-controlled Senate, and some fiscal hawks are saying the plan doesn't go far enough.

Who's the bigger hypocrite?

A recommendation by state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater that Florida's public universities "prioritize" their programs brought an energetic response Tuesday, but not necessarily wholehearted agreement.

Speaking to students at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton on Monday, Atwater said the Legislature's $300 million cut in the state's higher education budget will require more coordination among the 11 campuses.

A recall drive against Osceola County Commissioner John Quinones has stalled -- and perhaps fizzled.

Petition papers were filed last week with the Osceola County Supervisor of Elections by local businessman Jorge Coronado. The campaign was launched just days after Quinones announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination for the new 9th Congressional District.

But recall organizers quickly withdrew their petition, citing "technical" glitches in the paperwork. On Monday, Coronado told Sunshine State News that he is "no longer involved."