If there are any doubts that former Gov. Charlie Crist intends to run for governor in 2014, the announcement this week that he is releasing a book -- "The Party's Over: How the Extreme Right Hijacked the GOP and I Became a Democrat" -- should end them.
Florida's graduation rates once sat at the bottom of the pack, but a new national report released by Education Week shows Florida's graduation rate has grown tremendously over the last decade. It's the third-largest increase in the U.S., rising from 52.5 percent in 1999 to 70.4 percent in 2009. Florida's gains were only behind Arizona and New York.
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Nate Cohn over at The New Republic makes an interesting argument that Florida Republicans need to do well with Hispanics or the Sunshine State will turn from purple to blue. With Florida remaining the ultimate swing state in presidential politics, Cohn argues that if Florida becomes more blue due to Hispanic voters -- the way Nevada and New Mexico have -- there could be major consequences for the national GOP:
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During the redistricting process in early 2012, then-Rep. Eric Eisnaugle bowed out of the Florida House and set his sights on 2014 instead of taking on fellow Republican Rep. Steve Precourt, R-Orlando, in the primary.
With Precourt, currently serving as GOP majority leader, facing term limits in 2014, Eisnaugle is in excellent shape to return to Tallahassee to represent parts of Orange County. Eisnaugle reeled in $20,375 in the second quarter of 2013, bringing his cash on hand -- which also includes money raised during his scuddled 2012 race -- to around $139,600.
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Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is planning to resign as early as Friday, according to an administration official. Napolitano is the first person to serve as United States secretary of Homeland Security, and has been in the position since 2009.President Barack Obama nominated Napolitano for the position in 2008.
Napolitano is planning on taking a job within the university system in California. She attended Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, Calif.
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Rep. Doug Broxson, R-Milton, has drawn a Republican primary challenger. Jamie Tabisz-Smith who runs the Liberty Life News site filed his paperwork to run against Broxson in next years Republican primary. Broxson represents parts of Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties.
So far in the 2014 election cycle, Broxson has raised $12,300 in cash and had around $10,900 in the bank at the end of June.
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National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden met with an array of human-rights groups and activists Friday atSheremetyevo International Airport, according to reports from Interfax.
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Gov. Rick Scott namedDorina Sackman, an eighth-grade ESOL language arts teacher from Westridge Middle School in Orange County as2014 Macy's Teacher of the Year on Thursday at Hard Rock Live at Universal Studios in Orlando. Hundreds of teachers attended the event, which was hosted byEmmy Award-winning journalist Deborah Norville. Gov. Rick Scott; Darlene Hanes, Macys executive vice president, regional director of stores; and Florida Commissioner of Education Tony Bennett were at the event to make the announcement.
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The defense began its closing arguments Friday morning in the trial of George Zimmerman, who is charged with second-degree murder in the death of teenager Trayvon Martin. The defense's closing arguments will then be followed by a one-hour rebuttal by the prosecution. After the rebuttal, the jurors will be sequestered to decide the verdict.
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That the prosecution in the Zimmerman trial asked the judge to allow a verdict of "third-degree murder" -- i.e., child abuse, since Trayvon Martin was 17 -- testifies to the prosecution's failure and panic.
