At times, as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have fought each other in the presidential race, the battle between incumbent U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican, and Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy has seemed like a quiet undercard.

It hasn't helped that national Democrats have been withdrawing their advertising support for Murphy to funnel money to Senate races in other states that seem more promising. Or that Florida plays just as important a role in the race for the White House as it does in the jockeying for control of the Senate --- if not more so.

Charlie Crist stood at the podium, a flabbergasted look on his face.

Florida would be crazy to lose Marco Rubio in the U.S. Senate. I mean really crazy.  

As the old saying goes, all politics is local.

And a new statewide survey indicates Floridians are happiest with the politicians closest to home.

Results released this week from the annual USF-Nielsen Sunshine State Survey show that residents give their best ratings to city and county governments, followed by state government and then the federal government.

Most of America’s vice presidents have been cheerfully forgotten, thanks in part to dismissive quotes from some of the men who have held the office. Throughout the nineteenth century and the start of the twentieth century, important politicians turned down the job while non-controversial third stringers filled the job. After getting paired with obscure upstate New York Congressman William Wheeler in 1876, Republican presidential candidate Rutherford B. Hayes wrote “I am ashamed to say: Who is Wheeler?" That was par for the course for most of American history as lesser lights like George M. Dallas, Levi Morton and “Sunny” Jim Sherman held the post. 

Hillary Clinton continues to trounce Donald Trump in Florida, according to a poll released Thursday morning from the University of North Florida. 

Incumbent Republican Marco Rubio and Democratic Congressman Patrick Murphy clashed Wednesday night in an intense, hour-long debate -- over foreign policy, the economy, the minimum wage, Donald Trump and, of course, who has the better credentials to serve Florida in the U.S. Senate.

In a highly anticipated second television debate, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and Congressman Patrick Murphy will square off against each other at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday at Broward College in Davie.

Less than two weeks to go in the presidential election, Florida is the most important battleground with four new polls showing a close contest. With early voting already having started, the candidates continue to work the Sunshine State and win its 29 electoral college votes. 

Fracking, a dispute about a campaign sign and an attempted political comeback have heated up the battle for a North Florida Senate seat in a key swing district.

The outcome of the race between state Rep. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, and former state Sen. Rod Smith, D-Alachua, could help Democrats in their effort to chip away at the Republican Party's majority in the Senate. Meanwhile, Republicans hope to hold onto the seat as part of their legislative dominance across much of North Florida.