For those keeping score at home...

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez's chief of staff is leaving for the private sector, and the senator has promoted his Florida field director to replace him.

John Little, Martinez's chief since his election in 2004, is joining The Petrizzo Group, a D.C. lobbying firm, as a policy consultant on federal issues affecting Florida.

His replacement is Deputy Chief of Staff Tom Weinberg, who also served as state director in the Orlando office. Weinberg worked for Martinez, a Republican, when he was mayor of Orange County. The new state director is Kevin Doyle of Jacksonville.

Fight brewing: State vs National Dems?

During a press conference touting a mail-in redo election on Wednesday, state Senate Minority Leader Steve Geller was asked about the Democratic Congressional delegation who dismissed efforts to redo the primary a day earlier.

Geller said the Congressional delegation didn't have all the details of the mail-in ballot proposal that's in the works, when they came up with their decision. "The Congressional delegation, unfortunately, had not been fully briefed," he said, implying they might change their minds now that they know the full story.

Not so, say Congressional delegates.

GOP Poll: Buchanan crushing Jennings in CD13

The NRCC's 3/5-6 internal poll shows U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan beating Christine Jennings 53%-37%. "Jennings is perceived to be a sore loser, and her negative image has driven her vote down,'' said the memo from pollster Public Opinion Strategies.

---Adam Smith

FL delegation opposes re-vote

After meeting tonight for two hours with Sen. Bill Nelson, the Democrats in Florida's Congressional delegation - Obama and Clinton supporters alike - decided to oppose not only a vote-by-mail Democratic primary but any re-vote at all.

"We are committed to working with the DNC, the FL state Democratic party, our Democratic leaders in FL and our two candidates to reach an expedited solution that ensures our 210 delegates are seated. Our House delegation is opposed to a mail-in campaign or any re-do of any kind."

---Wes Allison

More prescriptions for Dem primary headache

Sen. Charlie Justice and Rep. Scott Randolph, both Democrats, want the Legislature to ask Congress to rotate early primaries among certain regions starting in 2012, an idea endorsed by the National Association of Secretaries of State.

CFO Alex Sink has a more immediate solution: "Chill out for another week."

"Let's see what happens in Texas and Ohio. Either the waters will be murkier, which I hope they're not, or the future might be more clear," said Sink, who is a Democratic delegate. "I'm sure we'll deal with the issues then."

Sen. Dan Webster still eyeing U.S. Senate

Buzz caught up with the Florida Senate Majority Leader Dan Webster on Thursday and chatted about the year ahead and his future after his last Legislative session, since he's term-limited. "I turn my Blackberry off and go home," Webster said. "If I don't feel lead to do something, I'll just go home."

Buzz asked the Winter Garden Republican if he's still interested in running for U.S. Senate. "My desire to be in the United States Senate has not diminished," said Webster who is 58. "I don't see any openings any time soon, but it's something I would definitely be interested in."

Romney staffer headed to Louisiana

Mitt Romney's Florida campaign director Mandy Fletcher was spotted fueling up on coffee on route to Louisiana on Monday morning. Fletcher will be joining the campaign of John Kennedy, the Louisiana Republican state treasurer seeking to unseat Democrat U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu.

"The only two people I know in Louisiana is a guy from high school who works for the Saints and Alan Levine," said Fletcher, referring to the Florida's former AHCA Secretary who just took a similar job in Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration.

Crist: Show me the money

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist made landfall Tuesday in wintry Washington, buttering up the guys who hold the federal purse strings to make sure money designated for the Everglades  actually arrives.

"It's already been put into the process, we just need to get it appropriated now," Crist said at the U.S. Capitol with Sen. Mel Martinez, his host for the Senate's weekly Republican Policy Luncheon. Other special guests included Vice President Dick Cheney and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. The senators also heard from Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, whom Crist is backing.

Martinez: Time for some details, boys

Making the rounds at tonight's CNN/YouTube Republican debate in St. Petersburg, U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez said he was hoping the candidates would get off the sound bytes and get down to specifics. Noting that 3-million Floridians live without health insurance, he said he was particularly hopeful they'd start telling voters how they aimed to improve access to health care.

"It's time to begin to offer the American people solutions," he said at the Mahaffey Theater before the 8 p.m. debate. "I think the American people are hungry for solutions...

"On a campaign, you can go for a long time on a few words and sound bytes. At some point you have to offer solutions, and I think we're at that point."

Polls have shown former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani consistently ahead. But as to whether that would hold through the Jan. 29 primary, Martinez said, "I'm not sure, I think this race will close in Florida dramatically."

Congress smacks down Bush veto on Glades money

Congress this week sent President George W. Bush the most stinging rebuke of his administration so far, as some of his most loyal partisans joined in voting to override his veto of a massive water and environment bill that directs billions of dollars toward the restoration of the Everglades as well as continued recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

The Senate voted Thursday to override the veto, 79-14, far more than the two-thirds majority needed to overturn Bush’s veto. That followed a resounding 361 to 54 vote in the U.S. House Wednesday. Together the two votes turned the $23.2-billion Water Resources Development Act into law, despite Bush’s objections to the cost.

The bill, which has been in the works for six years, directs $1.8-billion toward the Everglades restoration project, which has stumbled because of the lack of promised federal funds. Florida members of Congress -- including some Republicans who had never before bucked a Bush veto -- praised the bill’s passage as a key to getting the massive environmental reengineering project back on track.

“It took Congress six years to pass it and a misguided president one day to try to kill it,” said Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla.  “Fortunately, common sense prevailed.  Everglades restoration now will receive a much needed boost.”

--Wes Allison and Craig Pittman

Gelber V. Martinez

A preliminary shot in a 2010 Senate race? Dan Gelber sent this missive to Mel Martinez over the senator's opposition to expanding the children''s health insurance program, SCHIP:

"...As Chairman of the Republican National Committee, I recognize your role and responsibility to defend and endorse President Bush’s legislative agenda, including his opposition to the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan.  However, the rhetoric of “entitlements” and “socialized medicine” seems designed to fire up the President’s political base rather than honestly helping your colleagues figure out how to fix a system that has left more than nine million American children without health care.   Ironically, your position hurts Florida more than nearly any other state as only Texas has a higher percentage of uninsured children than we do. .."

Martinez's statement: "I support SCHIP. I support the program with the original mission of covering low income children who do not have health insurance...It is bad policy to take a program designed to help poor children and creat a new entitlement for familie making $80,000 a year."

Nelson: DNC penalties unacceptable, unacceptable, unacceptable

You think a lot of Florida Democrats are mad about the DNC saying the Jan. 29 primary won't count? Well, Bill Nelson is at least three times madder. His remarks today, while introducing a primary reform proposal for 2012, about the DNC stripping Florida of all its delegates to the national convention:

"This means the country's fourth largest state will have no say in picking a Democratic presidential nominee. Unacceptable. Unacceptable. Unacceptable. Florida still has several weeks to find a solution the DNC will accept - or, as I have suggested, legal action may be necessary. It's a case of the fundamental rights of voters vs. the rules of a political party. And, as to our right to vote, and have that vote count, there can be no debate."

Sen. Martinez on PIP, Rove and early primaries

Sen. Mel Martinez, while stressing that he didn't want to "meddle" in state politics, told the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce today that "it would be a real step backward" if Florida leaders let no-fault auto insurance lapse. Noting that he had spent a good chunk of his legal career "collecting PIP benefits and suing insurance companies when they didn't pay them,'' Martinez called PIP "a very important component on health care in Florida."

Is Mel a RINO?

A conservative outfit called We the People is asking its members and fellow frustrated righties to pick their favorite RINO - Republican in Name Only - from a list of 15 that includes Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla.

Martinez angered many conservatives with his aggressive support for a (failed) compromise measure that would have given millions of illegal immigrant workers a route to legal status. Other nominees include true Republican moderates like Sens. Arlen Specter and Olympia Snowe, conservative Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona (who also compromised on immigration) and presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani.

If this sounds like fun to you, you can vote at Republicans In Name Only. Subcategories include which RINO is most likely to cart an illegal immigrant across the border or attend a Barbara Streisand concert.

We the People is run by an Asheville, N.C., businesman named Daniel Gilbert, who also happens to be running for president.

Where do candidates stand on cat fund?

Former U.S. Senate candidate Peter Monroe and his campaign manager hope to get the presidential candidates talking about the need for a national catastrophe fund.

Read their piece from Sun-Sentinel here

Bush singles out Martinez on immigration

While in Georgia touting immigration reform yesterday, President Bush singled out U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez who was traveling with him:

"I don't know if you know his story, but his mother and father put him on an airplane to come to the United States of America to be raised by total strangers because they didn't want their son to grow up under a tyrant named Fidel Castro."

"He used to sit in the Cabinet of the president of the United States. Now he sits in the United States Senate. What a wonderful country it is, where people can come to live in a country based upon liberty and realize the great blessings of our country."

Martinez at center of immigration debate

These days, Mel Martinez begins each morning in a room just off the Senate floor listening to 11 of his colleagues argue the intricacies of a potentially historic immigration proposal. Sometimes, Martinez tries to lighten the intense atmosphere that builds up when polar opposites debate an emotional issue. Other times, the Senate's only immigrant sits quietly in an overstuffed crimson leather chair only to have someone ask: "Mel, certainly you have an opinion about this?"

More here.

Martinez caught in the middle

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez was honored this week by an immigration advocacy group, National Immigration Forum, as a leader who has “shaped the pro-immigrant movement.”

But the National Immigration Forum is also one of the members of the board of the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, a group that just last week began a print and radio ad campaign targeting Martinez for not doing enough on the immigration issue.

Are they for him or against him?

Whatever happened to...?

Jamie Miller, one of Katherine Harris' many former chiefs of staffs who went on to work for Bill McCollum, has left politics - at least for now.

Miller will serve as development director for the Wellness Community of Southwest Florida, raising money for the non-profit organization which provides free support to cancer patients and their families.

Groups files complaint against Martinez

The watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a complaint today against U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, alleging multiple campaign finance violations stemming from the 2004 election.

The complaint is based on a recent audit that revealed that the campaign failed to disclose occupations and identification information for donors and accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in excessive contributions.

"The violations committed by Martinez for Senate are unprecedented in both size and scope” said Melanie Sloan, the group's executive director. “Basically, Mel Martinez broke the law in order to win an election. Now, years later, he is a sitting senator and the chairman of the Republican National Committee. A failure by the FEC to severely sanction the Martinez for Senate campaign committee will demonstrate that violating the law pays.”

Fit for a Queen

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez was one of the lucky few invited to attend a black tie dinner with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Tuesday night before the royal couple flew back to England.

The Queen held the dinner at the British Embassy in honor of the President and First Lady. The Washington Post reports that guests included "members of his cabinet and political and cultural VIPs who British Ambassador Sir David Manning hoped might amuse the queen" including the former President Bush, Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagan, Alan Greenspan and Sens. John Warner, Dianne Feinstein and Martinez.

Martinez, who didn't have the greatest week trying to broker a compromise over immigration reform, told reporters on Wednesday: "I had dinner with the Queen last night. That was cool."

Another group targets Martinez

The Florida Immigrant Coalition is holding prayer vigils outside the offices of U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez today and tomorrow to try to pressure him to support comprehensive immigration reform in Congress this year.

Events took place in Tampa and Miami today. Tomorrow there will be another vigils outside a church in Tallahassee as part of a national effort during "Faith and Family Week."

"We know Sen. Martinez has strong family values and cares about the moral fabric of our community, we hope he will put those values in action by playing a leadership role in making this reform happen," said Pastor Moises Secundino, one of the Tampa area pastors hosting a vigil.

Martinez said it's unfair for groups to be targeting him and, he said, it may hurt efforts to pass a bill in Congress.

Martinez targeted on immigration reform

A group of immigrant advocates, the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, will begin a nation-wide media campaign today in Florida encouraging Congress to pass a bill that would allow illegal immigrants a path to citzenship and guest worker provisions.

The first print ads will focus on Sen. Mel Martinez, the first Cuban-American senator and new chairman of the Republican National Committee. The group claims Martinez has backed away from his bipartisan approach last year, and now supports a White House proposal that hurts immigrants.

"Sen. Martinez needs to step up, be a leader and get it done right,” said Clarissa Martinez, campaign manager for the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform. "Americans want solutions, not politics.  We are here today to tell Sen. Martinez, the President, and politicians of any party, that failure to address one of the nation’s most pressing issues will come at a heavy price. We are tired of politicians of both parties who say one thing and do another. The hypocrisy must stop."

The campaign also will include radio ads and a call-in campaign.

Updated: Martinez released a statement in response: "It's disappointing there are groups out there ready to drive wedges and politicize this critically important issue. Anyone who knows me knows I've been working since day one on this matter and for clearly partisan groups to design a national campaign and put out advertisements signals to me that they're more interested in creating a divide than working toward a solution. I would call on their national leaders to drop this effort, drop the politics, and get behind our bipartisan efforts to achieve consensus."

Bob Graham on WellCare board

Bob Graham, former Democratic U.S. senator and Florida governor, has been named a director of the fast-growing Tampa-based WellCare Health Plans, which provides Medicare and Medicaid managed care plans to more than 2.25- million people in eight states. Graham, 70, received $250,000 worth of stock options for joining WellCare's board, plus another $250,000 worth of shares of restricted stock, which will vest over a two-year period. He will also receive compensation of $27,500 for service on the board, which met five times last year.

Martinez refunds campaign money

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez is returning almost $100,000 in donations after a federal audit showed that his 2004 campaign did not collect the necessary information about some donors.

Martinez, a Republican, spent $12 million in the race to defeat Democrat Betty Castor. He said his campaign has corrected the mistakes and financial reports.

Martinez supports Puerto Rico statehood

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez said he's ready to push a proposal giving Puerto Rico a chance to become the 51st state or an independent nation. “Some people just don’t want to see any change,” Martinez said.

A similiar measure is expected to move in the House in the next few weeks, according to a story in our sister publication, Congressional Quarterly.

The Dems love Charlie

The bipartisan winds were blowing through Florida House in Washington tonight, as Democrats offered high praise for Gov. Charlie Crist at a reception.

Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, said Crist has united the Florida delegation (something Wexler never said about Jeb). "We're all smiling," Wexler said. "You bring out the best in us." Wexler said Crist "is solving, once and for all, the election problem in Florida."

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, said Crist has done things Jeb never did, such as return her phone calls. "Jeb Bush never - never! - would call me back," she said. "I called Gov. Crist and he not only called me back, he left his cell number."

Martinez supports Attorney General

Sen. Mel Martinez, the new chairman of the Republican Party, sent out an email to supporters Wednesday, standing behind embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

"Alberto Gonzales is a man of integrity and high ethical standards. He has pledged to cooperate with Congress and I am confident he will. I have said that it is irresponsible to pronounce judgment on the replacement of the U.S. Attorneys before we have the facts. Unfortunately, some would prefer to make political pronouncements instead of getting the facts....The Democrats may feign outrage to distract from their discord on the serious issues our nation faces, but sooner or later they will have to face the real responsibilities of governing."

The most influential members of Congress

Once again, Congress.org has compiled a list of the most powerful members of Congress. No surprise that new Democratic leaders, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, top the list.

In the Senate, Bill Nelson ranks 26th and Mel Martinez, the new chairman of the Republican party, ranks a low 89th. In the House, Alcee Hastings ranks as the highest Floridian at 19 (higher than Debbie Wasserman Schultz at 32 and Kendrick Meek at 55) while Tampa freshmen Kathy Castor is doing quite well at 127 -- the 6th most influential Florida member.

See the full list here. See just Florida here.

Crist pushes cat fund

WASHINGTON - Gov. Charlie Crist brought his charm offensive to Capitol Hill on Monday, winning a warm reception from top Democrats in Congress for a plan to create a national catastrophic insurance fund. But it also was clear that any federal solution to the volatile property insurance market rocking Florida and many other states is a long way off.

Crist, a Republican, was in town for the three-day National Governors' Association meeting. He spent about 15 minutes making his pitch to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. More here.

Dems criticize Martinez

The Florida Democatic Party is blasting U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez for missing two votes last week about Iraq.

"This war is the most important issue facing our country, and Mel Martinez can't even show up? The Republican Party of Florida slammed Jim Davis again and again for missing votes on inconsequential things such as naming post offices. What do they have to say now about their Senator missing these crucial votes?" said Karen Thurman, the party's chairwoman.

Last Monday when the U.S. Senate voted on a procedural motion on whether to procede on the debate, Martinez was at a doctor's appointment.

Last Thursday when the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Gen. George W. Casey to be Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army, Martinez was attending his foster mother's funeral.

Martinez's vote would not have changed the outcome in either case.

Update: The Florida Democratic party says it made a mistake in Thurman's podcast about Martinez's votes (which it has corrected), and that it was a single vote last Monday that it criticized him for missing. They stand by that criticism.

Nelson commends Crist -- again

Democrat U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson lavished praise on Republican Gov. Charlie Crist during a Florida congressional delegation meeting Thursday afternoon at the Capitol. It was the second time in two days.

Crist wasn't at the meeting but after the new director of his Washington office -- Kerry Feehery -- was introduced, Nelson made a point of saying that Crist's action during last week's tornadoes were "exceptional."

"The governor looks forward to working with the Florida delegation in a bipartisan manner,'' said Feehery, who used to work for Republican U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez. (Martinez, back in Florida attending his foster mother's funeral, was not present.)

A day earlier, during a Senate committee hearing on electronic voting, Nelson praised Crist for his recent recommendation to set aside more than $30-million to replace touch screens with paper ballots by 2008.

"Kudos to Charlie Crist,'' Nelson said. "He did what was unexpected."

Al-Arian Nearly Left Quietly

Two years before the tale of Sami Al-Arian helped sink Betty Castor's campaign against Mel Martinez for the U.S. Senate, Castor's successor as University of South Florida president tried to quietly buy Al-Arian's departure from the university. To read more about the secret, nearly $1-million offer, click here.

Tax and Budget appointments

Legislative leaders make announced their appointments to the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, which is likely to be closely watched. The Commission is supposed to examine the state budgetary process, revenue needs and expenditure processes of the state, the state's tax structure, government effeicency and local government taxing and spending.

President Pruitt’s appointees are Talbot D’Alemberte, Mike Hogan, Jacintha Mathis, Randy Miller, Les Miller, Jade Moore, Susan Story, Senator Mike Haridopolos, and Senator Gwen Margolis.

Speaker Rubio’s appointees are Allan Bense, Bruce Kyle, Patricia Levesque, Alan Levin, Brian Yablonski, Julia Johnson, Carlos Lacasa, Rep. Ray Sansom and Rep. Frank Peterman.

Feds may investigate Sarasota voting machines

The chairwoman of a U.S. Senate committee called on two federal agencies Wednesday to examine the voting machines used in last year’s disputed Sarasota congressional election.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, is asking the General Accountability Office and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to conduct “top to bottom investigation” of the machines in Sarasota County.

Story here.

Harris named "Citizen of the Year"

Katherine Harris may have lost the U.S. Senate race last November but they still love her at home. The Longboat Key Kiwanis Club will honor the former congresswoman as "Citizen of the Year" at the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort tomorrow night.

Dave Roberts for U.S. Senate

The election may be almost four years away but it looks like U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez already has some competition for his 2010 re-election bid: Orlando resident Dave Roberts.

Roberts says on his Website that he works in accounting, is married to a public school teacher and has four children. "I love the state of Florida and don't want to move to Washington D.C., but I am tired of putting my trust in politicians that continually betray conservative ideals for the sake of power, or for any reason at all,'' he writes.

Much of his Website is devoted to the issue of illegal immigration, a hot topic in Washington these days and one in where Martinez played an instrumental (and controversial) role last year.

Roberts' Website (with the slogan "Go home Mel Martinez") is here.

More staff shuffles for Martinez

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez's office announced Friday that his State Director Matthew Hunter will be a senior advisor to Martinez in his new role as general chairman of the Republican party.

Orange County Deputy County Administrator Thomas Weinberg will replce Hunter as state director (and deputy chief of staff) -- a job that consists of managing offices in Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami, Pensacola, Tampa, Naples and West Palm Beach.

Sights and sounds from the State of the Union

When President Bush came to the Capitol Tuesday night to give his State of the Union address, U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow was one of the lawmakers selected to escort him into the House chamber. Sen. Mel Martinez, the new head of the Republican Party, who had changed into a TV-friendly red tie for the occasion, sat in one of the front rows, just behind Bush's Cabinet and the stoic Supreme Court justices.

Most members of the Florida congressional delegation were present as were Katherine Harris and Joe Scarborough, who are allowed back on the floor as former members. Dressed in a black suit, Harris was greeted warmly by several former colleagues, some of whom she invited back to her Capitol Hill townhouse. Missing was the man who beat her in November, Sen. Bill Nelson, who was home sick.

Among the guests sitting in the House galleries were Beverly Young, wife of Rep. C.W. "Bill" Young, who last year was ejected because she was wearing a T-shirt supporting the troops. She was back again, with the T-shirt, sitting not far from Laura Bush, Lynne Cheney and actor Michael J. Fox, but there was no incident.

Almost-Congresswoman Christine Jennings, who is still fighting her slim loss to Vern Buchanan in the Sarasota area, was the guest of Rep. Ellen Tauscher of California who wanted to “highlight the gross injustice of election problems” in the disputed election.

Buchanan didn't pay any attention to Jennings -- calling her his "favorite constituent" -- and instead reveled in the ceremonial aspects of the night. "To be a blue-collar kid from Detroit, you'd never think it's possible," he said before leaving to meet Martinez and their wives for dinner.

Martinez talks about his new job

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida sat down with reporters to talk about his new job as chairman of the Republican Party, about wooing back independents and about living in a right-of-center country. Read Q&A here.

Martinez names new communications director

As expected, Sen. Mel Martinez promoted Ken Lundberg to communications director.

Lundberg joined the Martinez office as press secretary in June 2005 and before that worked for U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Jacksonville.

“Ken is hard working, dedicated, and has done an outstanding job of serving the state of Florida. I look forward to his continued work in advancing my initiatives related to Everglades restoration, education, hurricane preparation and the many other issues vital to our state,” Martinez said.

Lundberg succeeds Kerry Feehery, who last week was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to serve as director of the executive office of the governor in Washington, D.C.

Support for W.

It's no suprise that Mel Martinez ranked 9th among Republican senators in voting most often with President Bush in 2006. But Florida's other senator, Bill Nelson, wasn't too far down on the list either.

Nelson ranked 7th among Democratic senators, according to Congressional Quarterly, our sister publication which compiles the annual list. He voted with Bush 60.3 percent of the time; Martinez voted with him 92.4 percent.

Among Republican House members, former Rep. Katherine Harris came in 3rd (100 percent) and Rep. Allen Boyd came in 13th among Democrats (61.5 percent)

Where's Katherine?

Vern Buchanan, the Sarasota car dealer who replaced Katherine Harris in the U.S. House, said he has solicited advice from many elected officials including Sen. Mel Martinez and Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow.

But he has yet to speak to Harris.

"I hear she's traveling Europe and having a good time," he said.

Buchanan said he does plan on talking to her when she gets back.

Poll: 51% Approve Nelson's Performance

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson's foray to Syria may not have won him any accolades from the White House, but Floridians don't seem to have a problem with it.

A new Quinnipiac Poll released Thursday shows the Florida Democrat with a 51 percent approval rating, besting both Republican Sen. Mel Martinez at 42 percent and President Bush at 38 percent approval rating.

The poll also shows that Floridians love their Wal-Mart and politicians might want to be careful about bashing the retail giant.

To read the entire poll, Download quinnipiac_poll_122106.doc

Groups opposes Martinez as RNC head

English First, a group active in this year's congressional immigration debate, opposes Florida Sen. Mel Martinez's bid to become the leader of the Republican National Committee.

President Bush asked Martinez to serve as RNC general chairman but he still must be voted in by members at a meeting Jan. 20.

Martinez, the first Cuban-American elected to the Senate, has been criticized for months for his stance on immigration reform which would allow many of the nation's illegal immigrants to eventually become citizens.

English First created a website to motivate the Martinez opposition.

Wild Night at Nelson's V-Party

Sen. Bill Nelson's namesake and son, Charles William Nelson, was arrested and pepper-sprayed only a few hours after Buzz spotted him heading to his dad's after-party at the Zinc bar in downtown Orlando. (The bar had a massive Democratic invite list and was as secure as a New York night club. Buzz couldn't get in.)

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that the senator's 30-year-old son, was charged early Wednesday with disorderly intoxication in front of the Embassy Suites hotel, which hosted his dad's victory party. Nelson was staying at the hotel. He allegedly pushed a police officer and resisted arrest in downtown Orlando, according to the Sentinel.

The younger Nelson lives in Washington.

Harris concedes

Katherine Harris called Sen. Bill Nelson to concede the election...

Nelson ducked into the hotel kitchen to take Harris' call on a cell phone.

"I just talked to her and she was very gracious and she was very kind. And she said congratulations. She was exactly what you'd expect. She was very kind. And said congratulations. And she was very nice to do that. I told her that I had seen her on TV today out in the rain today and that I hoped she had dried off. She said she had a great day. And I told her I looked forward to seeing her next week. We're going into special session."

--Jennifer Liberto

More details from Pensacola

President Bush encouraged the 10,000 supporters at the Pensacola Civic Center Monday afternoon to vote for Charlie Crist, Bill McCollum, Tom Lee and Charlie Bronson (all of them noticeably absent) and then referred to Katherine Harris once, though he never looked her way.

Bush called Crist “experienced and compassionate” and then mentioned Harris in passing, saying “while you’re in there voting for Charlie, vote for Katherine Harris for the United States Senate.”

Just this weekend, Harris insisted she would be sitting on stage alongside Bush at the rally. (Remember this: "They called, invited us to come and said we’d be on stage,” she said.)

Instead, Harris who said she rearranged her entire schedule the day before Election Day, sat in the stands with her husband, Anders Ebbeson, clutching his arm. She briefly addressed the crowd more than an hour before Bush arrived.

Bush was joined on stage by First Lady Laura Bush, brother Gov. Jeb Bush, U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, Bush’s former housing secretary, and U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, who represents the Panhandle. Also on stage were state legislators and Carole Jean Jordan, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida.

“It’s not a matter of where you sit but where you stand on the issues,’’ Harris campaign spokeswoman Jennifer Marks said.

U.S. Senate: Tale of Two Trails

Over the last four days, Bill Nelson has blitzed the state from top to bottom, coast to coast. Katherine Harris has stuck close to home, cruising the Interstate 4 corridor and returning often to Polk County, where she grew up and where people know her best. Click here to read more.

Harris event leads to confusion

Anyone who has closely followed U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris' campaign knows there is often disorganization surrounding her events.

Nothing's changed. Not even two days before Election Day.

On Sunday afternoon, Harris' schedule showed she would be attending a community picnic organized by the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa.

It turns out the address emailed to reporters and others - 4002 Thonotosassa Road in Plant City - was actually an empty house with a "Beware of Dog" sign out front. No picnic there.

Campaign spokeswoman Jennifer Marks, who was answering phones at the campaign office, insisted there must be another 4002 Thonostosassa Road in Plant City.

Actually, as you might have guessed, the address was wrong. 

And did we mention the picnic was actually organized by a local church, not the universities? And that the pastor who was in charge had no idea Harris was coming?

About 100 people munched on chicken and corn on the cob while listening to Christian rock music. Harris worked the crowd at the Red Barn Ranch but was asked to not give a speech.

Harris talks about Clinton, Bush and the future

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris spoke to some reporters (but alas, not the Buzz) at the Ruskin Seafood Festival Sunday afternoon. Here are some of the highlights.

--On former President Bill Clinton's remark from a rally with Bill Nelson that Harris can't "refuse to count or disqualify enough votes to win on Election Day."

"I guess he’ll just have to wait and see on Nov. 7," she said.

--On attending President George W. Bush's rally on Monday:

"They called, invited us to come and said we’d be on stage,” she said. "That's all I know."

--On what she might do if she loses:

“Don’t see it as an option,” she said.

Harris tries to get a little good press

Two days ago, Republican U.S. Senate nominee Katherine Harris ordered reporters to stop interviewing people that she had talked to at a business expo at the Kissimmee Civic Center.

(Does she really not know she can't do that?)

But on Saturday it was a whole different story.

Harris encouraged some reporters (but not those of us she no longer speaks to) to interview people at the Republican-friendly gun show in downtown Clearwater.

"You should be polling in here,'' she quipped to some reporters.

Not everyone loved her though. One couple replied "absolutely not" when they were asked by a volunteer to wear a Harris for U.S. Senate sticker.

Presumably, Harris would not want reporters talking to them.

Harris will attend POTUS rally

Republican U.S. Senate nominee Katherine Harris plans to attend President Bush's GOP rally Monday afternoon in Pensacola.

Harris would not tell the Buzz how - or if - she scored an invite. But Jennifer Marks, the campaign's spokeswoman who has been told not to speak to us, couldn't resist telling us that Harris was invited by the White House.

The White House referred calls to the Republican Party of Florida. State party spokesman Jeff Sadosky said Saturday night that he does not know yet who is attending because they have not finalized the program yet.

But word from gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist's campaign is that he will probably not attend.

Poll: Crist 50, Davis 44

Strategic Vision's 10/29-31 poll of 1200 likely voters (+/- 3% moe):

GOV: Charlie Crist 50%; Jim Davis 44%; Max Linn 1%; undecided 5%.

CFO: Tom Lee 44%; Alex Sink 41%; undecided 15%

ATTY GEN: Bill McCollum 46%; Skip Campbell 40%; undecided 14%.

AG COMMISH: Charlie Bronson 47%; Eric Copeland 38%; undecided 15%

SEN: Bill Nelson 59%; Katherine Harris 33%; undecided 8%.

Harris says she write a tell-all book

Providing more access to the Washington Post than she does to any Florida newspaper (including this one) Katherine Harris reveals in an interview that she is writing a book.

"Katherine Harris, who is trying to become a U.S. senator, says she is writing a tell-all about the many people who have wronged her. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to: the Republican leaders who didn't want her to run, the press that has covered her troubled campaign, and the many staffers who have quit her employ, whom she accuses of colluding with her opponent."

Read full story here

Is Harris airing a TV ad?

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris supposedly started airing TV ads yesterday. It would the first for her in the general election against Democrat Bill Nelson.

But unlike other candidates, Harris issued no press release or email to supporters announcing the ads.

With less than $1-million in the bank as of the end of September, it couldn't have been much of an ad buy unless she suddenly received a slew of donations or put in more of her own money.

Harris and her staff stopped talking to the Buzz awhile ago so we won't be able to get an answer for you from them. We will, however, tell you if we hear any news of an ad from anywhere else.

In the meantime, have any of you seen it?

UPDATE: There is an ad. It's running statewide through Election Day. It's the same one she aired during the primary.

A quiet U.S. Senate race

It’s close to Election Day, but U.S. Senate candidates Bill Nelson and Katherine Harris don’t appear to be all that busy.

Sometimes, it’s so slow on the campaign trail that it’s difficult to find the candidates. They can go entire days with no public events.

This year’s campaign features:
No celebrities or big-name endorsements.
No charter planes or bus tours around the state,
No huge rallies, debate parties or volunteers gathered at campaign stops.

Read full story here

Tale of two Bushes

His older brother's approval ratings may be abysmal, but a new poll shows Florida Gov. Jeb Bush likely will leave office in January as popular as ever. In the St. Petersburg Times poll, voters were asked to rate the two-term Republican governor's performance by assigning a letter grade. Fifty-six percent of likely Florida voters gave him an A or B. More here.

Meanwhile the St Pete Times poll finds Floridians a mighty grumpy about the direction of their country. See here.

A dubious distinction

In this week's National Journal (a magazine Katherine Harris frequently cites while campaigning) political insiders from both parties were asked which U.S. Senate candidates have run the best and worst campaigns.

The best: For Republicans, it was a tie between Tennessee Democrat Harold Ford and Maryland Republican Michael Steele (both with 22 percent). For Democrats, it was Ford over second place Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar.

The worst: Republicans and Democrats agreed on Virginia Republican George Allen with Republicans citing Florida Republican Katherine Harris and Montana Republican Conrad Burns as second and third. Democrats had Burns second and Harris third.

National Journal survey participants are political consultants, lobbyists, party operatives and state and local political leaders. 

Nelson 64, Harris 29

Democrat Bill Nelson has widened his lead over Republican Katherine Harris in the U.S. Senate race, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

Nelson garnered 64 percent of likely voters; Harris 29 percent.

He was favored by a third of Republicans polled in the survey of 816 likely voters between Oct. 18-22. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

Two weeks ago, Nelson led Harris 61 percent to 33 percent.

Support for Harris

Forgive the late post (the Buzz has been on the road) but last night, the Republican Party of Florida sent out one of its only positive press releases to date about Katherine Harris.

Here's party chairwoman Carole Jean Jordan's statement following the Senate debate:

“When I left for Ft. Lauderdale, I thought the debate was going to be between Senator Bill Nelson and Congresswoman Katherine Harris, little did I know that Congresswoman Harris would actually face two versions of Bill Nelson. One Nelson plays the role of a good ol’ boy wearing his moderate hat, and claiming to be an independent leader who votes his conscience. The other is the ultra liberal elitist ever ready to do the bidding of party leaders including John Kerry, Ted Kennedy and Harry Reid.

“Katherine Harris got down to business in Washington, passing important legislation in her first term, while Senator Nelson waits in the wings to take his cues from Washington’s Democrat liberal elite. Two Nelson’s came to the debate today, but only one votes in Washington, and it sure isn’t the version who claims to have the best interest of Floridians at heart.”

Looking who's coming to Tampa?

The Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce will hold a political hob nob Thursday at the Channelside Courtyard.

No confirmation on exactly who will attend but participating campaign tables include: Bill Nelson, Katherine Harris Charlie Crist, Tom Lee, Alex Sink, Kim Berfield, Kevin Ambler and Trey Traviesa. Also, expect a slew of candidates for local races like county commission.

Small error on the press relese: Katherine Harris' name was spelled KathArine. It's a common mistake but still....

Tonight's debate

After a slew of public campaign gaffes, it's to be expected that most people tuning into tonight's first U.S. Senate debate will be more focused on Katherine Harris than Bill Nelson.

Harris, a Republican congresswoman from the