The House Appropriations Committee pondered Gov. Rick Scott’s proposed budget Thursday afternoon and began the long, difficult process of crafting a budget despite a large shortfall.

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, started his bid to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012 with a bang Thursday, bringing in around $1 million at a fund-raising event in Orlando.

Incoming Gov. Rick Scott continues his “inaugural appreciation” tour of the state with a whirlwind trip across Florida Wednesday.

While a number of elections across the state appear to be interesting contests that will go to the wire, more than 30 members of the Legislature can uncork the champagne and claim victory more than four months before citizens actually vote.

Florida House Speaker Larry Cretul issued a ringing statement Tuesday, accusing Gov. Charlie Crist of unnecessarily wasting taxpayers' money, playing political games and distracting state leaders from solving the state's real problems right now.

A day before unconfirmed reports surfaced that Gov. Charlie Crist will bow out of the U.S. Senate race and let George LeMieux and Marco Rubio duke it out for the Republican nomination, Crist considered one of his defining acts as chief executive of Florida.

Losing his political clout amid sinking polls, a beleaguered Crist did the calculus.

Being the Sunshine State, Florida is prime real estate for solar power, but energy experts say more fertile fields -- and bigger job generators -- can be found in the ground.

"There's huge untapped potential," says Mike Antheil, executive director of the Florida Alliance for Renewable Energy.