Former Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico arrived in Cuba on Wednesday to negotiate with that nations communist regime over Alan Gross, an American the Castro regime accuses of spying while his defenders maintain he was helping with setting up communications technology for that nations Jewish community. Florida Republican U.S. Rep. David Rivera, a freshman on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, came out firing away at the Obama administration for sending Richardson, who does have experience in international negotiations, to meet with the Castro government.

Fresh from beating primary rival Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, in a straw poll held on Saturday, Central Florida businessman Ron Rushing pledged on Wednesday to make abolishing Internet cafes one of his chief priorities if elected.

When I first looked into this issue, I immediately questioned the legality of these Internet cafes, since unregulated gambling is illegal in Florida, said Rushing. "However, due (to) the 1971 Florida sweepstakes provision of the law, these gambling locations are allowed to conduct business.

Conservative leader Gary Bauer, best known for leading the Family Research Council and making a bid for the Republican presidential nomination, slammed Republican presidential candidate U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas on Wednesday, arguing that the congressman from the Lone Star State was not a conservative in the mold of Ronald Reagan.