Scott gets endorsement of former rival
(CNN) - Rick Scott, Florida's Republican nominee for governor, received the endorsement of his former rival Friday.
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum endorsed Scott after a divisive Republican battle that pitted the two against each other earlier this year.
"Our state needs conservative leaders who will grow our economy and create jobs," McCollum said in a statement. "With this in mind, I will cast my vote for Rick Scott for Governor. It's the better choice for Florida."
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Hayworth, McCollum offer tepid concessions
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/21/art.hayworthgi.jpg caption ="Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth offered a lukewarm concession speech after losing his Senate primary battle to Sen. John McCain."](CNN) - After J.D. Hayworth's bid for the Senate in Arizona and Bill McCollum's bid for the governor's mansion in Florida each came to an unsatisfying end, the two candidates offered lukewarm concessions that highlight how divisive each race had become.
McCollum, Florida's attorney general and the GOP establishment's pick who lost to former insurance executive Rick Scott in Florida, conceded the race at almost 1 a.m. via a press release.
"No one could have anticipated the entrance of a multimillionaire with a questionable past who shattered campaign spending records and spent more in four months than has ever been spent in a primary race here in Florida," McCollum said.
"While I was disappointed with the negative tone of the race, I couldn't be more proud of our campaign and our supporters for fighting back against false and misleading advertising when we were down by double-digits," he added.
Unity rallies scrapped in Florida
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/08/16/art.rickscott.yt.jpg caption =" Rick Scott is locked in a primary battle with Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum."]
Orlando, Florida (CNN) - The Republican Party of Florida has scrapped plans for a pair of unity rallies intended to heal some of the wounds inflicted during the divisive gubernatorial primary between state Attorney General Bill McCollum and former health care executive Rick Scott.
The party had been plotting two such events for Wednesday, one in Orlando and another in Jacksonville, but those plans fell apart due to logistical reasons, RPOF spokeswoman Katie Betta told CNN. Scheduling became an issue because candidates up and down the ballot are scattered across the state, Betta said.
"We are hopeful we will be able to have some kind of event to capitalize on momentum coming out of the primaries, but at this point we are a little gun shy to try and figure out what the structure of the event would look like," Betta said.
The rallies were also scheduled to have a big ticket draw: Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, the chairman of the Republican Governors Association and a possible 2012 presidential candidate.
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McCollum not sure he'd back Scott as GOP nominee
Orlando, Florida (CNN) - Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum made abundantly clear Monday evening that he's got some hard feelings toward Rick Scott, his free-spending opponent in Florida's Republican gubernatorial primary.
After a divisive and rancorous intra-party battle that played out largely on the state's expensive television airwaves, McCollum said he would have serious reservations about supporting Scott as the GOP nominee if he wins on Tuesday.
"I don't know Rick Scott well," McCollum told reporters at an Orlando campaign stop. "I met him for the first time at the Univision debate. I've never eyed him across the table except at the debate. He ducked a big statewide debate."
"So when the election is over with, I expect to win," he said. "The question should be asked of him: Will he endorse me? Of course, if it were to come out the other way for some reason I would have to sit down with him and be persuaded. I see lots of problems with him, personally, right now. It would be very difficult for me."
McCollum leads Scott by a slight four-point margin heading into the primary, according to a Quinnipiac poll released Monday.
Poll: McCollum, Meek retake leads in Florida
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/15/art.meek.042810.jpg caption =" Florida Rep. Kendrick Meek has retaken the lead in the Sunshine State’s Democratic Senate primary."](CNN) - The two political veterans in Florida's closely-watched primaries have each regained the lead in their respective races, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.
Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum has retaken the lead from former insurance industry executive Rick Scott in the battle for the GOP nomination for governor. McCollum holds a 44 to 35 percent lead over Scott, who held an 11-point lead in the same poll just three weeks ago.
Democratic Rep. Kendrick Meek has also regained the lead in the Democratic primary over rival Jeff Greene in the Sunshine State's Senate race, holding a 35-28 percent lead. Greene held a 10-point lead in the most recent Quinnipiac poll.
Each race remains extremely fluid however: Almost 20 percent of Republican voters are still undecided and 32 percent of the respondents who named a candidate said they could change their mind.
RGA condemns Republican's latest ad
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/08/17/art.rickscottad.0817u.scott.jpg caption =" Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott is out with a new ad Tuesday that has been condemned by the Republican Governors Association."](CNN) - Florida's Republican gubernatorial primary keeps getting hotter.
Former health care executive Rick Scott released an ad Tuesday tying his opponent, Florida Attorney Gen. Bill McCollum, to the disgraced former chairman of the state's Republican Party.
"Party Boss Jim Greer - arrested for money laundering," the ad begins. "And who backed Jim Greer's effort to hide financial irregularities? Bill McCollum."
Scott has criticized McCollum for what he says is the attorney general's unwillingness to call for the release of the state Republican Party's documents.
On Tuesday night, the Republican Governors Association, which has not endorsed either candidate, condemned Scott's ad and called for him to "pull this ad and move forward in the primary in a constructive manner."
Romney endorses McCollum
(CNN) – Former Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney has made his choice in Florida's GOP gubernatorial primary.
Romney is backing Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum who is in a primary fight with former health care executive Rick Scott.
"Bill McCollum has a record as a principled conservative leader who has always fought for lower taxes, less government and traditional values, and I'm proud to support him as Florida's next governor," Romney said in a written statement Monday.
Romney's Free and Strong America PAC also announced Monday that it is contributing $5,000 to the Florida Republican Party.
Romney's endorsement comes as Scott has surged past McCollum in recent polling.
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Two state attorneys general ready to file lawsuit on health care
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/03/19/art.mccmaster.cnn.jpg caption="McMaster told CNN he will file a lawsuit quickly, if the bill is passed."]
(CNN) - Should the Democrats' health care reform bill make it to President Obama's desk, at least two Republican state attorneys general are prepared to file a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality.
South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster told CNN he and Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum are ready to take issue with a controversial provision known as "the cornhusker kickback" that exempted the state of Nebraska from paying for Medicare costs and with another provision that mandates all Americans buy health insurance.
The provision giving special treatment to Nebraska was not included in the House bill unveiled Thursday but the legislation must be returned to the Senate before final passage. Democratic leaders have vowed that provision is dead but thirteen other attorney generals in addition to McMaster and McCollum have already signed on to the plan to file a lawsuit if the so-called "cornhusker kickback" is included in any final version of the bill signed by Obama.
But even if that controversial provision is removed, McMaster and McCollum say the bill's individual mandate provision is an unconstitutional encroachment on state authority as protected by the 10th Amendment - the part of the Constitution that provides all powers not explicitly granted to the federal government continue to remain with the states.
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