OFA LAUNCHES FIRST MEDICARE AD: “FACTS” “Facts” [OFA] “The non-partisan AARP says Obamacare ‘cracks down on Medicare fraud, waste, and abuse’ and ‘strengthens guaranteed benefits’. And the Ryan plan? AARP says it would undermine … Medicare and could lead to higher costs for seniors….” WATCH “FACTS” HERE. 

Will Ryan help or hurt GOP in Florida? [Miami Herald] Rod Smith, Chairman of the Florida Democratic Party: “Both Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney support trillions in budget-busting tax cuts for millionaires paid for with tax hikes on the middle class and deep cuts in education and other investments we need to grow our economy. Both Romney and Ryan share a vision for America where the wealthiest few are prioritized over the middle class, students and seniors — that’s not a vision which will move our state or country forward, and it is a vision which Floridians will whole-heartedly reject.”

Romney’s Clueless Campaign Visit to Cuban Miami [Florida Voices] “It was impossible to understand the amateurish shambles that Mitt Romney’s campaign made of the candidate’s visit to Cuban Miami this week, supposedly to solidify and expand Hispanic voter support.” 

HHS Secretary in West Palm Beach slams as “nonsense” claims of $700 billion in Medicare benefit cuts [Palm Beach Post] “Medicare benefits have not been cut, Sebelius said. Indeed, some benefits have been added, such as lower costs for prescription drugs in the “doughnut hole” gap, she added. That has saved Florida seniors an average of $630 each, she said. Carol Berman, 77, of West Palm Beach said that has helped her significantly after a series of health problems required multiple medications”

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL FRONT — DEMS TURN UP HEAT ACROSS STATE OVER PLAN TO END MEDICARE AS WE KNOW IT

From Politico’s morning score: 

SHOT – 1 IN 3 FLORIDA GOP INSIDERS SAY RYAN HURTS ROMNEY THERE: The Tampa Bay Times’ Adam Smith – Florida’s top political reporter – regularly surveys the top Sunshine State insiders. He reports this morning that nine out of 10 Democrats see Ryan hurting Romney in Florida and one in three Republicans agree. http://bit.ly/ODCR3h 

CHASER—TWO FLORIDA DEM CHALLENGERS BRACKETING RYAN: Ahead of Ryan’s trip to Florida, Jessica Ehrlich and Keith Fitzgerald are holding a joint conference call at 10 to attack Bill Young and Vern Buchanan for both voting twice to pass Ryan’s budget. 

Tampa Bay Dem US House candidates seize on Paul Ryan [Tampa Bay Times] “Democratic congressional candidates Jessica Ehrlich, challenging CW Bill Young in Pinellas, and Keith Fitzgerald, challenging Vern Buchanan in the Sarasota area, held a conference call today aiming to wrap the Ryan budget plan around the incumbents’ necks.” 

The Ryan-Desantis Budget [Florida Times Union] “State Democrats are working to tether DeSantis to Ryan’s now famous budget plan. ‘Ron DeSantis has already made it clear that he supports the same policies of Paul Ryan which would hurt Florida’s middle class families and end Medicare as we know it’…DeSantis says he supports the plan.”

The Ryan-Webster Budget [Orlando Sentinel] “Florida Democrats are accusing Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Webster of dodging his constituents in the 10th District, saying he doesn’t want to answer questions about his support of Paul Ryan’s budget, which would fundamentally change Medicare… Analysts and the Congressional Budget Office predict that retirees’ out-of-pocket costs would rise”

MACK TRAILS NELSON Election 2012: Florida Senate [Rasmussen] “Congressman Connie Mack trails Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson in Florida’s closely watched U.S. Senate race.” 

First he flips, then he flops [Tampa Bay Times] “But it was still unclear where he stands on the burning issue of moment, Medicare…James would not say whether Mack agrees with the Ryan plan’s turning Medicare into a voucher-like program.” 

Nelson files Everglades funding bill [KeysNews] “U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., has introduced legislation that would make the second portion of a key Florida Bay restoration project, as well as three other Everglades projects, eligible for federal funding.”

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

First Lady Michelle Obama to visit Mayport next week [Florida Times Union] “First lady Michelle Obama is scheduled to visit Mayport Naval Station on Wednesday to meet with military families and make an announcement about a veterans and military spouse employment milestone for the administration and Joining Forces.”

Using Scott Plakon’s office as the backdrop, Democrats launch campaign to tie GOP lawmakers to Rick Scott  [Orlando Sentinel] “A dozen Democratic activists huddled in front of state Rep. Scott Plakon’s district office Wednesday afternoon to kick off a campaign aimed at tying Plakon and other Republicans in the Florida Legislature to their party leader, Gov. Rick Scott, who polls show remains unpopular with voters.”

Sour grapes or real beef? Diaz de la Portilla gets hit with elections complaint [Miami Herald] “he filed a complaint alleging that Diaz de la Portilla’s campaign finance reports listed ‘no expenditures for printing of campaign materials, mailers, palm cards, yard signs, robo calls, fence posters or campaign workers.'”

Consumer advocate fears for insurance of troubled homes [Florida Current] ” Because of Citizens Property Insurance Corp.’s push to reduce its 1.4 million policies, reducing coverage and credits for wind mitigation improvements through rigorous inspections, more homeowners with coverage from the state-run ‘insurer of last resort’ are being bumped to the last-ditch safety net of lender-placed insurance.”

Revisit Medicaid expansion [Sarasota Herald Tribune editorial] “Gov. Rick Scott’s opposition to expanding Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act was already unfortunate from a humanitarian standpoint. To abruptly reject health care coverage for more than a million Florida residents as Scott did — without consulting the Legislature or considering funding options — was shortsighted. But even from a cold, hard economic view, Scott’s stance looks increasingly questionable and demands careful scrutiny by the Legislature.”