House and Senate leaders have declared a special legislative session in early January to plug an expected $2.3-billion hole in the state budget. ...more

December 15, 2008

Gov. Charlie Crist reflected this week in an interview with The Tampa Tribune on current controversies, the highs and lows of 2008 and what lies ahead in 2009. ...more

December 14, 2008

In many ways, Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn and Attorney General Lisa Madigan couldn't be more different: He has carefully promoted his image as an outsider and reformer; she comes from a powerful political family. ...more

December 14, 2008

In most challenging situations where a major problem is the issue, do-nothing-and-hope-for-a-miracle is not an option. ...more

December 13, 2008

Transit System 'Crucial' I agree whole-heartedly with the editorial "Smart Investing Will Boost Local Economy" (Our Opinion, Dec. 7). I moved to Florida from Portland, Oregon, where there was a comprehensive transit system that provided both bus and light-rail transportation. In the downtown core, buses and the train were free, allowing anyone to simply hop aboard to traverse from one end of downtown to the other, at will. This was especially appealing to tourists and business people from out-of-town who didn't want to grab a taxi or deal with parking. ...more

December 11, 2008

State lawmakers have formed a panel to dig into the details of the state's gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe. ...more

December 10, 2008

Don't rule out "Ginny For U.S. Senate" signs just yet. U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, is pondering a potential bid for the seat that Republican Mel Martinez will leave vacant now that he's decided not to run for re-election in 2010, Pete Meachum, Brown-Waite's chief of staff, said Wednesday afternoon. ...more

December 4, 2008

Still popular in Florida, former Gov. Jeb Bush said Wednesday that he's interested in the seat Sen. Mel Martinez is giving up, and the field of possible candidates could quickly narrow to make way for the president's younger brother. ...more

December 3, 2008

Barack Obama's remarkable election has inflicted a stunning defeat on Republicans and conservatives, apparently reversing the pro-market Reagan revolution that began in the early 1980s. Conservatives are now beginning what will be a long period of soul-searching to understand what went wrong and how they can rebuild. ...more

November 22, 2008

Days after becoming Florida's new House speaker, Republican Ray Sansom has taken on a second job - a $110,000 yearly post as chief of the fundraising department of a state college in his district. ...more

November 20, 2008