Palin's Fort Myers rally changing location ...

Due to what the Republican party says is overwhelming demand for tickets.

It will now be held at Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero. Doors Open at 11:00 a.m. (more details in jump) All tickets previously issued will be valid at the new location.

Detert gets a hand from Crist in SD 23

Gov. Charlie Crist watched the Rays first playoff game in St. Petersburg yesterday then hopped down to Venice for a fundraiser for state Senate hopeful Nancy Detert.

Yes, Crist is helping raise money for Detert. During the GOP primary, the governor backed Michael Grant. But he is now lending his popularity to Detert, a former state representative who is facing Democrat Morgan Bentley.

Yesterday's event at Boone, Boone, Boone, Koda & Frook was technically a host committee reception for a fundraiser that will happen Oct. 22 at Mattison's Forty One in Sarasota. Still, some people dropped off checks, minimum $100. Also in attendance: RPOF Chairman Jim Greer, Sens. Lisa Carlton and Mike Bennett, Rep. Doug Holder, and former Sen. John McKay.

*

Floridians on the bailout, Part 2

Here's how Florida's congressional delegation voted on the Wall Street bailout, er, rescue. Last time, of course, the bill failed, but this time it passed. So, somebody had to switch. Who? In Florida we had two, both Republicans. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami and Vern Buchanan of Sarasota.

Here are the rest: Voting yes: Republicans Adam Putnam, Ander Crenshaw, Dave Weldon. Democrats Corrine Brown, Alcee Hastings, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Ron Klein, Tim Mahoney, Robert Wexler, Kendrick Meek, Allen Boyd.

Voting no: Democrat Kathy Castor; Republicans C.W. Bill Young, Gus Bilirakis, Ginny Brown-Waite, Jeff Miller, Cliff Stearns, Connie Mack, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart, Tom Feeney, Ric Keller.

*

Palin tickets going fast

CLEARWATER -- Tickets are going fast for Sarah Palin's speech at a rally Monday morning at Coachman Park in Clearwater.

"People keep coming in one after another," said Tony DiMatteo, chairman of the Pinellas County Republican Executive Committee. "We'll probably sell out of them, and we were given 9,000 tickets."

He thinks the GOP's offices in St. Petersburg and Safety Harbor will run out of the free tickets by the end of today. The offices are open until 6 p.m.

If there any tickets left, DiMatteo said they'll be given out tomorrow morning at the Pinellas GOP headquarters, 4707 140th Ave. N, Suite 108, in the Airport Business Center near the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport. The office's phone number is (727) 539-6009.

Some tickets are also available at GOP offices in neighboring counties.

-- Mike Brassfield, Times Staff Writer

*

Chamber poll McCain/Palin up by 3

A new poll from the Florida Chamber of Commerce shows Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin leading Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden 45 percent to 42 percent. The poll had a 4 percent MOE. (full results here)

Republicans John McCain/Sarah Palin    45%
Democrats Barack Obama/Joe Biden     42%
Libertarian Bob Barr            1%
Ecology Party Nominee Ralph Nader    1%
One of the Other Candidates        1%
Undecided/Don't Know/Refused        10%

The Chamber poll also found Gov. Charlie Crist has a 67 percent approval rating, up four points from July.

You betcha: Palin's 3 big Florida fundraisers

When Gov. Sarah Palin makes her two-day campaign swing through Florida next week, what will get most of the media attention will be her public events, beginning with a rally in Clearwater, followed by visits to Fort Myers, Pensacola and Jacksonville. But Palin also has a series of fundraisers Monday and Tuesday with a goal of collecting $3-million in Florida.

The fundraisers are Monday at the Boca Raton Hotel and Club, the Naples home of Republican donor Jack Donahue, reportedly at $10,000 per person, and Tuesday at the Jacksonville Jaguars' football stadium. In addition, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut is also expected to join Palin in Florida next week.

In Jacksonville, Duval County GOP chairman John Falconetti describes a surge of Palinmania after the TV debate with Joe Biden on Thursday night. The McCain-Palin office set up a two-lane drive-through system to hand out free tickets to Palin's rally, and at one point, he said, the line was three blocks long. The rally is at Jacksonville Landing on Tuesday morning (doors open at 7 a.m.)

*

A double dose of Jay-Z

So many people want to see Jay-Z's Obama concert in Miami on Sunday that another gig has been added.

The rapper will perform at 12:30 p.m. Monday at Bayfront Park Amphitheater. Tickets will distributed at South Florida Campaign for Change offices beginning Saturday at noon.

*

A tax-raising Republican! Now that's a mailer

Last session, Rep. Jim Frishe, R-St. Petersburg, sponsored a bill calling for hefty toll increases on the route to St. Pete Beach and Pinellas County's famed Fort De Soto Park. Frishe, and Senate sponsor Dennis Jones, quickly backed down due to public outcry. But Frishe's Democratic opponent, George Gonzalez, is making it an issue. Frishe explained the move to the St. Petersburg Times in March. Story here.