This is it -- primary Election Day in Florida -- in a state of increasing national importance and political vigor. As the rest of America watches -- for that matter, as Florida intently watches itself -- voters go to the polls to decide who will be their party's nominees in November’s general election.

Reports are out that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who now lives in Florida and has become increasingly active in Sunshine State politics despite placing fourth here in the 2008 Republican presidential primary, is expected to endorse Attorney General Bill McCollum in the GOP gubernatorial contest this weekend …

While Democrats are continuing to defect to independent U.S. Senate candidate Gov. Charlie Crist, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is not one of them. Nelson said in an MSNBC interview Tuesday morning that he would back the Democratic nominee in the race, be it U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek or billionaire financier Jeff Greene …

The campaign trail took a number of prominent politicians to South Florida on Tuesday. U.S. Senate candidates Gov. Charlie Crist and U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek spoke to the Florida Sheriff's Association 2010 Annual Summer Conference in Fort Lauderdale. So did Republican gubernatorial primary candidate Rick Scott. Meek later spoke to the United Democratic Club of Century Village in West Palm Beach …

Republican Rick Scott isn't the only health care executive in the gubernatorial race anymore. Democratic candidate Brian Moore, with more than 20 years in the HMO managed care industry, is in the race, too -- promising to offer Democratic voters a choice and taking swings at state CFO Alex Sink.

Filing closed for state elections at noon on Friday -- setting the stage for some interesting contests in Florida come November.