THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM AT THE GOP CONVENTION Scott’s and Rubio’s role at RNC uncertain for now [Tampa Bay Times] “Scott has been invisible from the Florida campaign trail of the presumptive GOP nominee, Mitt Romney. His latest poll numbers indicate he continues to be unpopular, leaving a potentially awkward scenario for those who will create the schedule of convention speakers. Why put an unpopular governor in a speaking slot that could turn off viewers? Then again, how do you not have the governor of the state hosting the convention speak?” 

FDP’s take on the GOP’s Dilemma: “A national political convention in a key swing state. A homestate Governor with toxic approval rating. Thus is the dilemma facing the GOP at their convention next month in Tampa. With all eyes turned toward the Sunshine State, national Republicans continue to duck, dodge and weave their way around what is certain to be the elephant in the room come August: Scott’s toxic approval which threatens to drag down the GOP ticket in 2012.”

OBAMA, BIDEN TO FLORIDA President Barack Obama will hold local campaign event [Florida Times Union] “President Barack Obama will hold a grassroots campaign event in Jacksonville at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Prime Osborn Convention Center, his campaign said Monday.”  

Maintaining Presence In Florida, Biden Will Visit State Next Week [FLDemocracy2012] “The news of Biden’s visit comes three days after the campaign announced that President Obama will make a two-day swing through Florida this week. Obama’s itinerary includes stops in Jacksonville and West Palm Beach on Thursday, and appearances in Fort Myers and Orlando on Friday.” 

Obama to visit Palm Beach County on Thursday, Biden coming next week [Palm Beach Post] “President Obama will visit West Palm Beach on Thursday during a two-day campaign swing through crucial and closely contested Florida.”

GET CONNIE A TISSUE, BECAUSE HE’S VERY, VERY UPSET Connie Mack’s war on Adam Smith [Politico] “The Times editorial board cited Mack’s ‘questionable work habits, a sense of entitlement and an undistinguished record in Congress.’ The congressman, the paper wrote, ‘has the reputation of an opportunist with an unremarkable record in Congress…’ From a strategic standpoint, it’s a risky approach. Mack faces the danger of looking thin-skinned and ill-suited for the rigors of a state with 10 media markets.” 

Maybe it’s because Connie is a Second Quarter Fundraising “Loser” [Washington Post] “$840,000 raised is simply not a good number for a sitting member of Congress running for Senate in a state as big as Florida. He was outraised more than 2-to-1 by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) — $1.8 million raised – and doesn’t appear to be taking advantage of a really solid pickup opportunity.

THANK YOU SEN. NELSON  Florida to receive billions in BP Gulf oil funds [Sarasota Herald Tribune] “The money could provide the Sunshine State with a boost to its struggling economy by shoring up tourism in the oil-tarnished Panhandle; supporting commercial fishermen all the way to Cortez in Manatee County; and bolstering the health of oyster reefs, sea grasses, corals, marshes and mangrove swamps as far south at the Florida Keys…’We’re talking about some real money,’ said Nelson, who pushed the act in the Senate. ‘What we wanted was the money not to go where somebody else could get their hands on it, but to go back to the people and the Gulf.’”

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL FRONT — DEMS OUT-RAISE GOP INCUMBENTS, MURPHY & FRANKEL UP WITH ADS, BEAVEN ENDORSED

Democratic Congressional Candidates Out-Raise GOP Incumbents in Q2 [FDP] “Florida’s strong slate of Democratic Congressional challengers out-raised their Republican opponents and incumbents, according to FEC campaign finance reports due July 15th. Fundraising reports from April 1st to June 30th show that Democratic candidates in key races are earning the support of their community and Democrats are entering the final months of the campaign season in a strong position to win Congressional races across the state.” 

Murphy TV debut decries ‘the taunts, the name-calling, the bullying’ of Allen West [Palm Beach Post] “Democratic congressional hopeful Patrick Murphy is beginning the TV phase of his nationally watched campaign by likening U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Palm Beach Gardens, to a playground bully.” WATCH “BUILDER” HERE; WATCH “PLAYGROUND” HERE.

Lois Frankel Releases First TV Ad, “Always” [Lois Frankel for Congress] “Lois Frankel’s TV ad of her 2012 Congressional Campaign. In the ad Frankel explains her record as a former legislator and as Mayor of West Palm Beach.” WATCH “ALWAYS HERE” 

Heather Beaven backed by local AFL-CIO [Florida Times Union] “Democrat Heather Beaven is being endorsed by the Volusia/Flagler AFL-CIO, her campaign announced Monday.”

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

The 555-page Marco Rubio ‘oppo file’ [Tampa Bay Times] “American Bridge 21st Century, a Democratic super PAC, has posted a 555-page opposition research file on Sen. Marco Rubio as Mitt Romney nears a decision on his VP pick.”

Bye-bye, Marco Rubio from Romney veepstakes? [Miami Herald] “Sean Hannity sounds beside himself. Reuters seems pretty sure. Same with NBC Nightly News. All appear to believe that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio isn’t at the top of the shortlist to be Mitt Romney’s vice presidential. That is, Rubio isn’t on the shorter list.”

Would someone remind me again why we even have a Lt. Governor? [Palm Beach Post column] “But I don’t care about Carroll’s sexual orientation. Or about the motivations of her alleged lesbian lover, when she threw a smoldering cigar into Cole’s trash can, which caused a fire that was the subject of a state investigation that deemed it an accident rather than an act of interoffice arson. I just care about the hypocrisy of pink slipping thousands of state workers with actual duties to perform, and shutting down the state’s only TB hospital during a TB outbreak out of alleged necessity, while continuing to fund a superfluous ribbon-cutting-operation that seems better suited as a set for The Real Housewives of Tallahassee.”

Gov. Scott manipulating our right to vote [Miami Herald guest column] “The latest lawsuit defending the right to vote in Florida provides insight into how radical the Scott administration’s assault on voting rights is and how determined the governor is to ignore law and precedent in order to manipulate the election process.”