Gov. Charlie Crist signed a measure allowing more cameras to be installed at traffic signals to catch drivers who run through red lights While Crist may not have support from the Republican leadership of the House, he seems to be getting some from the Democrats. Minority Leader Franklin Sands sent out a memo to the House Democrats supporting a special session of the Legislature to tackle problems with energy. Sands backed the idea of sending an amendment to the voters in November prohibiting offshore oil drilling. The question is how many Republicans will break from the leadership
Billionaire and Democratic Senate candidate Jeff Greene is under fire from womens groups for having heavyweight great and convicted rapist Mike Tyson as his best man at his 2007 wedding. Leaders from Florida NOW as well as the Democratic Womens Club of Florida and the Florida Federation of Republican Women have blasted Greene for his connection to the former heavyweight champion Independent Paul McKain, one of a crowded field of conservatives taking on Congressman Allen Boyd, has opened a campaign office in Tallahassee
Busy times on the campaign trail. Attorney General Bill McCollum heads to Orlando to take part in the Southern Classic Gun and Knife show on Saturday as he campaigns for the Republican gubernatorial nomination... U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, seeking the Democratic nod for the U.S. Senate, will be stumping across the state from Delray Beach to Tampa to St. Augustine to Panama City Marco Rubio spent the week on the campaign trail, rallying Republican voters on the Space Coast Paula Dockery was in Jacksonville this week, hitting the campaign trail for her bid for the GOP gubernatorial nomination and relating her attempt to stop the state from selling tracks to CSX, based in Jacksonville
Speaking of Jacksonville, Mayor John Peyton continues to try to cope with the budget crisis and is now reducing the hours of the city libraries, shelving two fire engines and laying off more than 40 city employees Peyton is not the only politician in Florida with headaches over firefighting. It looks like the dispute over the wages of firefighters in Broward County will be kicked upstairs to the county commission Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer is naming Frank Billinglsey, who had been advising the mayor on economic development, as his new chief of staff
All hands on deck for Rep. Mike Horner, R-Kissimmee. Facing a primary challenge from Thomas Chalifoux Jr., a prominent businessman whose wealth has been estimated at more than $40 million, Horners campaign released a video featuring Florida Republican and conservative leaders -- including Rubio, McCollum, incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon and incoming Senate President Mike Haridopolos. Despite being knocked off the ballot in 2008 in the primary against Horner (due to a lawsuit contending he had not resigned from the Osceola School Board in time), Chalifoux has some electoral experience. He represented the county on the GOP state committee, and he also has run unsuccessfully for county commission.
