ROMNEY & SCOTT: “THE WAY THEY PRACTICED THEIR BUSINESS IS SOMETHING THEY NOW WISH EVERYONE WOULD FORGET” Mitt Romney and Rick Scott [Sun Sentinel Column] “Of course, we know why Romney—who is desperately trying to tip the balance in our fair swing state—would want to distance himself from Rick Scott, whose popularity numbers hover somewhere between the low thirties and high twenties. Romney already possesses that awkward mien and curiously pre-recorded way of speaking, so pairing up on the stump with someone who resembles a space alien would only highlight the yawning gap that exists between him and average homo sapiens. But it is worthy of remark that the two politicians do have so much in common…in both cases, the way they practiced their business is something they now wish everyone would forget.”

SCOTT SLAMMED ON EDUCATION & IMMIGRATION Scott failing to deliver on tough immigration promises [Politifact] “PolitiFact Florida is tracking 57 of Scott’s promises on the Scott-O-Meter, including promises to implement Arizona-style legislation and a requirement that Florida businesses use a federal database to make sure their employees are in the country legally. Both are rated Promise Broken.”

Illegal workers’ new ally: Gov. Rick Scott [Orlando Sentinel column] “Illegal immigrants have a strong new ally in Florida: the governor…This is more than just a flip-flop. It means Scott lied.”

Rules for Florida residents to avoid getting asked to ‘show your papers’ [Palm Beach Post column] “It’s only a matter of time before Florida’s troglodyte-infested legislature follows suit…Especially if this preparation can spare you the embarrassment of being stopped by a local police officer who then suspects by your appearance or demeanor that you also might be in this country illegally.”

High cost of being cheap: faculty exodus [Tampa Bay Times editorial] “How much does being cheap cost? Florida State University is already finding out, even before the Legislature’s $300 million cut to higher education and less-than-expected tuition increases take effect for 2012-13. FSU president Eric Barron told Gov. Rick Scott’s higher education reform panel Monday that 58 of the arts and sciences faculty members have been offered out-of-state jobs — and FSU lost all but eight of them for salaries that averaged $20,000 more.”

ENTHUSIASTIC CROWD GREETS OBAMA IN MIAMI  Obama courts donors, Hispanics at Miami Beach fundraisers [Miami Herald] “Obama spoke for about 35 minutes, framing the election not as a report card on his first term but as a choice of ideologies on how to heal the fractured economy.”

Obama tries to lure in Hispanic votes during Miami Beach campaign stop [Palm Beach Post]

Identity politics: Obama campaign touts benefits to Hispanics as president visits Florida [Palm Beach Post] 

President Obama in Metro Miami For Two Fundraisers Tuesday [NBC Miami] 

In South Florida, Millions Raised For Obama Victory Fund [FLDemocracy2012] 

Poll: Obama has edge in three battlegrounds [CNN] “Polls released Wednesday showed President Barack Obama narrowly edging his Republican rival Mitt Romney in Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio – three battlegrounds that went for Obama in 2008 but will be toss ups in November.” 

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CONNIE MACK IV?  Where In The World Is Connie Mack The Fourth?[American Bridge] “Where in the world is Connie Mack the Fourth?”

TELL THE MEDIA TO ASK CONNIE MACK: WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THE PURGE? [Florida Watch] “Sign our Open Letter to the media and demand that Florida’s elected officials take a stand. Don’t let Rick Scott and the Republicans steal the election!”

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL FRONT:

Patrick Murphy, Democratic Challenger, Sends Out Fundraising Email: “This Will Make Allen West Mad” [Broward Palm Beach New Times] “Patrick Murphy has a great campaign tactic to use in the District 18 race against Rep. Allen West — he can always point out that he isn’t Allen West.”

Hispanics Looking For November Gains In US House [CBS] “In Florida, which has an August primary, Democrats have two Hispanic candidates — businesswoman Gloria Romero Roses, who was born in Colombia, and lawyer Joe Garcia, a Cuban-American — in the race to take on Republican Rep. David Rivera, a Cuban-American whom Democrats see as vulnerable. “

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Politics has large ‘cone of error’ [Palm Beach Post editorial] “In Florida, Gov. Scott is giving county-level emergency managers a bogus “afdpssessment” to see if they’re prepared. That’s in lieu of providing a solution to one of the state’s biggest hurricane-related problems: Creating a system of property insurance that protects against losses and encourages storm-proofing of structures without crippling the real estate market.” 

Privatization of health care in Florida prisons in peril [Times/Herald] “The largest privatization venture undertaken by Florida’s prison system is in peril, and when the new fiscal year begins Sunday, it might be doomed, in another political victory for organized labor.”

Florida considers stopping Voter Participation Center’s registration drive letters [Tampa Bay Times] “By their own estimate, officials with a Washington nonprofit have registered 200,000 voters in Florida the past eight years. This year, the same group, the Voter Participation Center, has mailed another 420,000 registration forms to residents hoping to enlist more.But state officials are considering ways to stop the center from sending any more registration forms, which the state calls confusing…The objections come as the state has made other moves to block greater access to the ballot box.”

Florida and feds head to court over voter purge [AP] “Florida and the U.S. Department of Justice are squaring off against each over the state’s controversial move to remove potentially ineligible voters.”