BREAKING: DCCC BLITZES WITH TV ADS IN 5 FLORIDA MARKETS [Politico] “POLITICO has learned that the House Democratic campaign arm is reserving more than $32 million in broadcast TV advertising after Labor Day, the first real signal of the party’s strategy for winning back control of the House.”

In Florida:

• Tallahassee/Panama City: $828,000
• Orlando: $2,530,000
• Tampa: $2,498,000
• West Palm Beach: $656,000
• Miami: $1,804,000

FDP HITS SOUTHERLAND: HE SAID HE WOULD CHANGE WASHINGTON, INSTEAD HE’S GONE WASHINGTON

OFA FL RELEASES SPANISH LANGUAGE ADS Obama campaign intensifies Hispanic outreach with Florida TV, radio ad [Tampa Bay Times] “The campaign has released Spanish language TV ads. In Florida, it features a woman named Lynnette Acosta, who is originally from Puerto Rico and now is an Obama volunteer.” WATCH THE AD HERE

RUBIO DOESN’T HELP ROMNEY  PPP poll: Obama leads Romney in Florida 50-45 [Tampa Tribune] “In his best showing in a Public Policy Polling survey in more than a year, President Barack Obama now leads Mitt Romney 50-45 percent in Florida. The poll also suggests Sen. Marco Rubio wouldn’t help Romney much in Florida—with Rubio as Romney’s running mate, Obama’s lead actually increased, to 50-43 percent.”

PPP Poll: Obama leads Romney 50-45 in Florida [Florida Times Union]
Obama +5 in Florida [Palm Beach Post]
PPPoll: Obama up 5 on Romney in Florida [Tampa Bay Times]
Poll: Obama Leads Romney By Five Points In Florida [FL Democracy 2012]

ALSO WORTH A READ: Why the GOP should worry about Orlando [Tampa Bay Times] “Democratic strategist Steve Schale has posted another of his terrific number-crunching pieces making the case for how demographic changes in metro Orlando – not just the growing Puerto Rican population, but also African-Americans – pose serious longterm challenges for Republican.”

WHAT TO READ ON SCOTT’S BUDGET: Sound bites don’t erase budget bites [Tampa Bay Times Editorial] “The reality is Florida still will spend less next year per student than it did before Scott took office in 2011 and roughly $800 less than in 2007. The Legislature — and Scott — are still shortchanging the future by insisting on special interest tax breaks rather than adequately funding Florida’s needs…Republicans in Tallahassee continue to ignore the reality that Florida can’t keep cutting taxes for special interests ($134 million alone next year) and still expect there’s enough left for real investment. Acting the part of education governor is no substitute for true advocacy.”

FDP Chairman Rod Smith on the Budget [News-Journal] “‘This budget is nothing more than the same shortsighted priorities of Florida Republicans that has put the special interests ahead of investing in education — while schools are left crumbling around our children,’ Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith said in a statement. ‘That is no way to lead.'”

Scott signs $69.9B Florida budget [AP] “Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith called the budget ‘an assault on the middle class’ because it puts “special interests ahead of investing in education.”

Scott agrees to $300 million cut in university funding [Gainesville Sun] “The budget that he signed has plenty of bad news for the university system as a whole. State university funding was slashed by $300 million in the next fiscal year.”

Polytechnic nonsense [Tampa Tribune editorial] “At the same time Gov. Rick Scott signed a budget Tuesday slashing higher education by $300 million, he let slip through $33 million for Florida Polytechnic University, a school with no students, faculty or legitimate purpose.”

ANATOMY OF AN IMPLOSION: What’s the matter with Connie Mack? [Washington Post] “Six months later, Republicans are grumbling about Mack’s underwhelming campaign, and state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater is saying he might get into the race. A new poll of Florida insiders say it’s not too late for a new candidate? What happened?”

Jeff Atwater ponders run for U.S. Senate [Tampa Tribune] “With some Florida Republicans worried about their chances and their candidates in this year’s U.S. Senate race, state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater says he’s reconsidering a previous decision and may enter the Republican primary.”

Insiders cool to Mack [Tampa Bay Times] “Even without Atwater’s name in the mix of possible contenders, a slight majority — 52 percent — said it’s not too late for another candidate to get in the race and mount a credible campaign…Still, more than three out of four Insiders — including nearly two-thirds of the Republicans — expect Nelson to win re-election.”

Connie Mack skips out on big votes, hits trail instead [Politico] “First, Rep. Connie Mack (R-Fla.) called the House Republican budget “a joke.” Then his staff praised it for its ‘brave’ ideas.”

George LeMieux’s Senate campaign in trouble [Miami Herald] “In a series of one-two-three blows, George LeMieux’s Senate campaign has been staggered by anemic fundraising, the specter of a big-name Republican jumping into the race and new court documents that make him a witness in the criminal case against the former governor’s hand-picked Republican Party of Florida chairman.”

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Deception is on the ballot [Palm Beach Post Editorial] “If you find some of the proposed constitutional amendments on Florida’s November ballot confusing, that’s because you’re supposed to be confused. Legislators wrote the ballot questions so voters wouldn’t understand the true ramifications of the amendments.”

Office of Congressional Ethics Releases Quarterly Activity Report [Roll Call] “Buchanan has been the subject of two federal probes into possible violations of campaign finance law, though it is unclear whether the ethics case is related to those inquiries.”

3 counties join effort to sue over disputed Medicaid bills [Orlando Sentinel] “Seminole, Osceola and Polk counties have committed to joining the suit, which is being prepared by the Florida Association of Counties. Lake, Orange and Volusia have not yet decided.”