Scott gets big day with Fox cable guys, National Review and CNBC

Gov. Rick Scott travels to New York City today where he'll get some air time with Fox News host Neil Cavuto, in an interview scheduled at 4:15 p.m.

Before that, he is scheduled to meet with Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes and Fox political commentator Dana Perino.

Later in the afternoon, Scott is scheduled to meet with Rich Lowry, editor of the conservative National Review, and have dinner with CNBC anchor Joe Kernen at Campangnola Restaurant, the five-start place on NYC's Upper East Side.

GOP hopes of Senate takeover fade as Mack and other challengers trail

The presidential race isn’t the only unpredictable war for control of Washington this year. Keep an eye on the U.S. Senate.

Expectations of a Republican takeover, which were widespread over the summer, are fading. Now the Democrats could retain their majority. Either way, it’s close, and no one can safely say which party will have a Senate majority after the Nov. 6 elections.

Among the changes in the landscape: President Barack Obama has an edge over Republican Mitt Romney in national polls as well as in key swing states such as Virginia and Nevada, suggesting that Democrats might turn out in bigger numbers and also vote for Democratic Senate candidates.

Another: The once-vulnerable seat held by Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri now appears safely Democratic since the Republican nominee, U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, said this summer that women rarely got pregnant in cases of “legitimate rape.” In Florida, incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson is seen as likely holding onto the seat against a challenge by Republican Congressman Connie Mack IV.

Republicans need a net gain of four seats to take control of the Senate if Obama wins, three if Romney is elected — since his vice president would break a tie. Democrats now control 53 seats, but 23 of them are at stake. Republicans need to defend only 10.

More from David Lightman here.

 

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/09/30/3027057/gop-hopes-of-a-senate-takeover.html#storylink=cpy

Opposition group releases new ad attacking Florida justices

 

Restore Justice 2012, the group formed to campaign against what they consider "judicial activism" by the three Florida Supreme Court justices up for merit retention, is out with a new web ad.

The two-minute video highlights the same 2003 murder case that was underscored by the Republican Party of Florida when it announced a "grassroots" decision at its last executive board meeting to oppose retention of Barbara Pariente, Peggy Quince and R. Fred Lewis. The party did not oppose the justices in 2006 when the justices were first up for merit retention after the same decision.

The justices "wanted to give this unrepentant killer another chance,'' the announcer says.

This will be the second ad aimed at attacking the justices since the party made its decision. Last week, the conservative Americans for Prosperity Florida chapter announced it was running an ad critical of the same justices for their decision to throw a flawed amendment off the November ballot that would have served as a referendum on health care reform. No details yet on the size of the ad buy and which media markets it is reaching.

Restore Justice 2012 has kept a low profile until now. It is organized as a 527 through the IRS and raised $60,000 through July 13, the last reporting period, with $41,000 of it coming from a Miami physician, Allan Jacobs.