Speaker of the House Dean Cannon and Gov. Rick Scott at the Capitol Nov. 9, 2010. Photo: Colin Hackley

As Rick Scott takes the reins of Florida government, some longtime political players find themselves marginalized or cut out of the decision-making loop altogether.

Though Republicans swept to victory in November, the clout of high-ranking, veteran party members has diminished as the outsider-governor shakes up the tradition-bound GOP power base.

Meantime, the stock of business interests is rising, as Scott quickly froze government regulations and fills key administration positions with unconventional appointees.

Veering sharply away from the center-left orientation of Charlie Crist, the former health-care executive is building a team more attuned to Jeb Bush's sensibilities. Indeed, several of Scott's transition advisers are Bushites.

But millionaire Scott is not kissing the former governor's ring as he charts his own course in Tallahassee.

While retaining a few Crist holdovers -- including policy and budget director Jerry McDaniel, general counsel Erik Figlio and executive staff director Dianne Moulton -- Scott is putting his own stamp on the affairs of state.

Instead of bowing to Bush or maintaining the status quo, Scott is relying heavily on his own inner circle of advisers. And, given his business background and deep skepticism of government, Scott's sense of "grass-roots" support is far different than his immediate predecessor's.

Here is a look at who's in, who's out, and who is in political purgatory under the Scott regime.


THE "A-LIST" -- FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS

TEA PARTIES: Conservative grass-roots activists fueled Scott's insurgent campaign against Republican Party favorite Bill McCollum. With the exception of South Florida tea party activist Everett Wilkinson, who accompanied McCollum when the attorney general filed his candidacy papers and later heckled Scott in West Palm Beach, tea party groups coalesced behind Scott early in the primary. Signaling increased access, Scott issued personal Inauguration Day invitations to Punta Gorda tea partier Robin Stublen and First Coast tea party activist Billie Tucker.

LEGISLATIVE REBELS: A handful of Republican lawmakers bucked the party establishment early on when they supported Scott over McCollum. Lawmakers to watch: state Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, and Reps. Mike Weinstein, R-Jacksonville; Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City; Paige Kreegel, R-Punta Gorda; Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City; and Rachel Burgin, R-Tampa.

OUTSIDE INSIDERS: Two of Scott's closest and most trusted advisers come from out of state and outside government. His transition team was chaired by Enu Mainigi, a corporate attorney with the Washington, D.C., law firm of Williams & Connolly. Mary Anne Carter, Scott's "special policy adviser," hails from Tennessee. Both women were deeply involved in Scott's health-care career, with Carter heading his "Conservatives for Patient Rights" political action committee. Mike Prendergast, the governor's chief of staff, is a career military man whose "outsider status gives him the ability to evaluate and manage issues and agencies from a perspective untainted by the business-as-usual culture in Tallahassee,” Scott said in the statement. At $150,000 each, Carter and Prendergast join McDaniel as the highest paid staffers in Scott's office.