LEMIEUX LOSES MOST-JUNIOR STATUS
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchins appointment Friday of Carte Goodwin, his former general counsel, to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy left by the death of Sen. Robert Byrd, pushes Florida Sen. George LeMieux off the perch as the chambers youngest member. Goodwin is 36; LeMieux, 41.

LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGN WATCH

SD 2: DAY FROM EVERS TO HILL
In Senate District 2 in the Panhandle, two candidates are fighting over which has the endorsement of Medal of Honor winner Col. Bud Day. In January, Rep. Greg Evers, R-Baker, said hed been endorsed by Day, but this week Evers opponent in the GOP primary, Mike Hill, said hed been endorsed by Day.

GAETZ COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT SPILL LEGISLATION
A Senate committee will consider tax relief for property owners affected by the oil spill later this month, along with other possible legislative changes reacting to the crisis.

President Barack Obama defended his administrations efforts in response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill during a visit to the Florida Panhandle Tuesday and said it will do whatever it takes as long it takes to put the region back to normal.

Obama also put in a plug for the region he saw this week, turning tourism pitchman to help out the businesses that have seen a drop off in visits.

The week starts, as the last several have, with a focus on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, with President Barack Obama planning to hit Pensacola during a three-state tour on Monday that acknowledges the effects of the spill go beyond Louisiana.

The people of Florida havent been so mad at a British guy since English General James Oglethorpe launched a barrage of cannonballs at the Castillo de San Marcos at St. Augustine in 1740.

Tony Hayward, the chairman of British Petroleum, is the current whipping boy, and the barrage is now going the other way and will continue this week as nearly every Florida politician running for office launches an attack on the company for the oil it has sent to the states money-making shoreline.

DEMS, GOP SPAR ON PROSECUTOR FITNESS

With the budget out of the way and a little more than $200 million lighter Gov. Charlie Crist can return his attention to oil in the Gulf of Mexico, an abortion bill he still awaits from the House and his U.S. Senate campaign though some might say the first two things are directly connected to the last.

If Gov. Charlie Crist wants to be nice to the Legislature though really, theres no indication he does he may this week officially call the special session hes already said hell likely pursue. Crist has said he wants lawmakers to return at the end of May, most probably the week of May 24, for the special session on banning oil drilling and alternative energy policy.

BUDGET TOPS $70 B
Bottom line on the 2010 budget that hit lawmakers desks Tuesday just before 3 p.m.? $70.4 billion. The House earlier proposed a $67.2 billion spending plan. And the Senate approved a $69.4 billion version. But weeks of negotiations that followed seemed only to fatten the spending plan, a swelling that occurs almost every year once anticipated federal dollars, trust funds and agency "reversions" of money are calculated. A vote on the measure Friday will be one of the last acts of the spring session.

EARLIEST SINE DIE: POSSIBLE IS 2:59 PM FRIDAY