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.

Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, the front-runner for the Republican nomination in the race to replace U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, won a straw poll and gained an endorsement Monday while Democratic rival Joe Garcia announced his campaign reeled in more than $700,000 in the second quarter of 2010.

Former House Speaker and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio is going after Gov. Charlie Crist, running for the Senate as an independent.