No serious challenger to Brown-Waite

BROOKSVILLE -- Just weeks ago area Democrats salivated at the opportunity to take on Republican Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite in this fall's congressional campaign.

They sensed an unparalleled chance at unseating the three-term incumbent by riding a generally optimistic feeling among Democrats and highlighting Brown-Waite's latest gaffe where she called Puerto Rico and Guam residents "foreign citizens."

But, as the field solidified after Friday's filing deadline, it appears no party-backed Democrat will challenger her for the District 5 seat.

"Hidden agenda" behind block of Swiftmud boss?

Somebody in Tallahassee doesn’t like Dave Moore. This week, the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee confirmed the appointment of the executive directors of four of the state’s five water management districts. But the fifth one -- Dave Moore of the Southwest Florida Water Management District -- didn’t even make it on the agenda.

--Craig Pittman

Ginny Brown-Waite vulnerable?

Not without a credidible opponent she's not. Story here.

Hernando: Voters line up for lunchtime vote

Voters wait near noon to vote in the 2008 Florida presidential primary election outside Precinct 17, located at the Heather Community Center in Weeki Wachee today. [Stepehen J. Coddington | Times]

Computer problems delay voting in Hernando

Poll worker John Anderson assists voters arriving at Precinct 47 in Spring Hill during the presidential primary election this morning. Computer malfunctions contributed to long lines throughout the morning. [Stephen J. Coddington | Times]

Tampa Bay turning bluer

Nowadays, Democrats are energized all over Tampa Bay, their leaders say. Voter registrations tend to verify that. People who registered as Democrats last year outnumbered their Republican counterparts in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties.

Story here

Romney returning to FL airwaves?

The Buzz is that the Mitt Romney campaign, having gone dark on FL TV is making inquiries with TV stations about going back on the air in Florida (or at least Tampa Bay) by this weekend.

The renewed optimism, we assume, comes from the GIANT win in Hernando County on Jan. 10: a straw poll at the Timber Pines Republican Club found Romney with 34% support, John McCain with 31%; Rudy Giuliani with 19% (ouch-this is Bill McCollum's native county!);  Mike Huckabee at 12% and Fred Thompson at 3%.

Thompson names Tampa Bay organizers

Republican Fred Thompson rolled out his local grassroots organizers for the Tampa Bay area. These folks -- including a number of big names -- are leading the charge as chairman for their respective counties:

In Pinellas, County Commission Chairman Ronnie Duncan; in Hillsborough, Sandy Murman, former House Speaker Pro Tem and state committeeman A.J. Matthews; in Pasco, the trifeca of Zephyrhills Councilman Danny Burgess, Dade City Mayor Pro Tem Steve Van Gorden and Property Appraiser Mike Wells; in Hernando, Commission Chairman Jeff Stabins; and in Manatee, Bradenton Vice Mayor Gene Gallo and Bradenton Councilman Patrick Roff.

For a full list of local organizers keep reading below.

Ginny "knows" Rudy, likes Mitt

U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite supports Mitt Romney in the 2008 race for the White House. This much we know. But ask the Brooksville Republican why she didn't pick fellow New York native Rudy Giuliani and the conversation gets awkward -- very awkward.

"A lot of people say to me, 'Well you're from New York, why don't you support Giuliani?'" Brown-Waite said during a stop at the Times' Brooksville office. "Um, let me put it this way: I know Giuliani. I'm supporting Mitt Romney."

Huh? When asked what about Giuliani, 63, she doesn't like, she replied: "Um, Giuliani." Pressed again for details, she didn't elaborate. "I prefer not to say at this point," she said. "I prefer not to say period. OK? I know him -- let me put it that way."

Reporters kept pushing for details (including whether they'd ever dated ) but GBW wouldn't even say how she knew Giuliani. "I've known him in the past," she said. "More than 10 years ... less than 40."

--John Frank

Volatile HD 43 race

In less than two weeks, voters in Florida House District 43 will vote in the June 5 primary elections set in motion by Gov. Charlie Crist's appointment of state Sen. Nancy Argenziano to the state Public Service Commission. Low voter turnout is expected, making the race especially volatile. For the five Republican candidates vying for their party's nomination, the candidate with the most votes wins. More here on the Republicans and here on the Democrats

Feudin and Fussin in Brooksville

BROOKSVILLE - Politics is what you'd expect in Brooksville, a city named for antebellum politician Preston Brooks, who beat a colleague with a cane on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Here in the quiet seat of Hernando County with its 7,500 residents, a nasty feud has consumed City Hall.

The city manager resigned before he could be fired. The City Council placed the police chief and the human resources director on paid leave after months of bitter fighting between the two men. Ron Baker, the human resources director, was arrested back in August on charges he gave Xanax to a co-worker who was having an anxiety attack. Baker claims the charge - which was dropped after he attended counseling - was engineered by the police chief as retribution after Baker complained about an alleged affair between the chief and a City Hall secretary.

Full story here.