Clay Shaw News

In 2003, Allen West was facing a possible court martial hearing that could have put him in prison.

Allen West, a retired Army Lt. Colonel and an African American conservative, is making his second attempt to take away the Congressional seat in the Florida 22nd District from Democrat Ron Klein.

A top Republican congressional recruit said on Friday that the shooting at Ft. Hood, Texas yesterday by a solider allegedly sympathetic to suicide bombers shows that the "enemy is infiltrating our military." Allen West , a retired military colonel who served as a commander at the Texas base, said in a release that Maj.

When a corruption scancal created a vacancy on the Palm Beach County commission in January, former Boca Raton mayor Steven Abrams was an instant front-runner for Gov.

The Obama administration's South Florida money-raising blitz continued today when Vice President Joe Biden headlined a $1,000-and-up lunch for the Democratic National Committee at the home of key party financier and former Lehman Brothers investment banker Mark Gilbert.

Here's a prime reason why Gov. Charlie Crist's outgoing chief of staff, Eric Eikenberg, is already moving over to manage his Senate campaign - with nearly a year before the primary: Marco Rubio is rapidly catching up with the governor among Republican primary voters.

Despite the "slippery slope" concerns of a former Florida Supreme Court justice and countless Internet critics, Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon says her new policy of refusing to hire smokers won't lead to a similar targeting of obese people, heavy drinkers or others with legal-but-unhealthy habits.

Republican George LeMieux became the 34th senator in Florida history Thursday, an improbable rookie in Washington who at times seemed as wide-eyed as a tourist as he was welcomed into the Senate's majesty and pomp.

The reviews have been pretty rough for Gov. Charlie Crist since he appointed his former campaign manager George LeMieux to replace Mel Martinez in the U.S. Senate.

Musing on what might have been ... When Gov. Charlie Crist is asked about harsh public reaction to George LeMieux's selection to hold Florida's junior U.S. Senate seat, until the governor himself can get up there, he has a logical answer.

Democrats were quick to jump on Florida Republican Gov. Charlie Crist for appointing former Chief of Staff George LeMieux to the seat he hopes to win next fall, calling it political cronyism and charging him with appointing an ally to protect his own ambitions.

One-time House Speaker John Thrasher, once a strong ally of Gov. Jeb Bush, is making a political comeback in Jacksonville and is getting help from the former governor as he battles for a state Senate seat.

Nothing like starting a campaign early, and few candidates have made an earlier start than Rep.

Gov. Charlie Crist chose trust and loyalty Friday over Washington experience or potential political gain in choosing former chief of staff George LeMieux to replace Republican U.S. Sen.

Nine candidates remained in the running Monday after U.S. Rep. C.W. 'Bill' Young told Gov.

It's the oddest reality show to come along in ages: Survivor: Charlie Crist's S enator Selection Saga.

Gov. Charlie Crist will likely choose a new senator to fill the remainder of Republican Mel Martinez' term by the end of the week and the pick will depend on how much the governor is weighing loyalty, experience and potential political gain.

Charlie Crist should have realized something was up when C.W. Bill Young arrived for the job interview in sneakers and an untucked polo shirt.

By Adam C. Smith , Alex Leary and Shannon Colavecchio, Times Staff Writers In Print: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 U.S. Sen.

Charlie Crist is including the first black Republican woman in the Florida Legislature among the people he's considering to replace U.S. Sen.