Rubio was front and center on the national stage on Thursday morning, the day after Obama announced airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) forces in Syria. While criticizing Obamas delay in taking action against IS, Rubio backed the airstrikes as he made the national media rounds, appearing on CNBC, CNN, Fox News and NPR on Thursday morning. ... Rubio will remain focused on international issues next week. The senator will speak to the John Hay Initiative, a Republican group specializing in foreign affairs, on Wednesday on rebuilding defense. ...
This week, Rubio also joined Republican senators in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnsondemanding information on how the Obama administration plans to handle American passport holders who are suspected of fighting for IS forces. ...
Former Gov. Charlie Crist continues to rely on elected Democrats from across Florida to help his bid against Gov. Rick Scott in November. On Friday, the Crist team sent out U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., to reassure supporters that Crist, who had spent most of his political life as a Republican, could be trusted on social issues, including supporting same-sex marriage and abortion. Frankel sent out an email on behalf of Crist. ... In the meantime, to keep Republicans mobilized in Indian River County, the Scott team is increasingly using Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, as a surrogate at campaign events. Mayfield won the notice of conservatives across Florida for leading the fight against Common Core last session. ... On Thursday, Scott honored the victims of the 9/11 attacks and the veterans lost in the war on terror at the dedication of the Freedom Bell at the Beal Memorial Cemetery in Fort Walton Beach. Scott was joined by Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Florida Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Destin, in representing the state government at the event. ...
Florida TaxWatch will launch its Center for Florida Citizenship on Wednesday. The new arm of Florida TaxWatch promises to "work to improve citizen engagement by providing nonpartisan information to break down barriers to government participation, enacted as a result of complicated processes. Former Gov. Bob Martinez will chair the Center for Florida Citizenship with former Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Sole as vice chairman. ...Marathon Mayor Dick Ramsay announced this week he was backing Miami-Dade School Board member Carlos Curbelo for Congress. Republicans across the nation have high hopes for Curbelo as he takes on freshman U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla., in November. ...Carol Platt from the Osceloa County Realtors Association continues to get the support of leading Florida Republicans as she continues her underdog bid to topple U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla. On Friday, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam announced he was backing Platt. ...
From his perch on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., continued to pound away at Obamas health-care law this week. Bilirakis showcased his support of the Employee Health Care Protection Act, which would allow any health-care plan sold in 2013 to be continued to be sold. Bilirakis played up the threat of health-care plans being canceled due to the law and called out Obamas broken promise if you like your plan, you can keep it. ... On Thursday, the Florida Retail Federation (FRF) unveiled its choice in one of the most competitive legislative races in Florida. The FRF is backing Republican Daniel Diaz Levya who is challenging incumbent Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami, in November. ... Unlike much of the leadership of the business community, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) announced this week it will back Amendment 1, the Water and Land Conservation Amendment, which requires that a third of document stamp revenue be used for environmental conservation projects. The FRLA insisted the proposed state constitutional amendment will lead to cleaner water across Florida.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinstatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
