NEW VIDEO: THE ROMNEY-RYAN AKIN PLATFORM ON WOMEN 

DNC fills convention speakers’ list with women  [Orlando Sentinel] “On the eve of the Republican National Convention in Tampa the Democrats are signalling one of their campaign themes by naming 10 more speakers for their upcoming national convention — all women.”

Bill Clinton goes to bat for Obama in new TV ad in Florida [Tampa Bay Times] “Bill Clinton is featured in this new Obama ad, which launches today in Florida, New Hampshire, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado, Nevada. ‘This is a clear choice,’ Clinton says, casting Obama a strong ally of the middle class. ‘We need to keep going with his plan.'” WATCH “CLEAR CHOICE” HERE. 

Republicans lose Hispanic outreach director in Florida as some begin to fret [Tampa Bay Times] “Republicans this spring declared they were serious about Hispanic voters, and to much fanfare, the RNC rolled out a multi-state outreach effort. But we haven’t heard a lot out of Florida since then — and, it turns out, the outreach director in Orlando is no longer on board.”

In Poll, Obama Is Given Trust Over Medicare [New York Times] “The Romney-Ryan proposal to reshape Medicare by giving future beneficiaries fixed amounts of money to buy health coverage is deeply unpopular in Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin, according to new polls that found that more likely voters in each state trust President Obama to handle Medicare.”

FLOTUS: OBAMACARE HAS HELPED MEDICARE  First lady Michelle Obama visits Jacksonville, touts hiring initiative for veterans [Florida Times Union] “First lady Michelle Obama announced at Mayport Naval Station on Wednesday that more than 125,000 military veterans and spouses across the country have been hired in the last year.” 

First lady to 2,500 in Fort Lauderdale: Obamacare has helped Medicare [Palm Beach Post] “First Lady Michelle Obama today told thousands of South Floridians — many of them senior citizens — that President Obama’s health care law has kept Medicare going, saved elderly patients hundreds of dollars in prescription drug costs and insured people with pre-existing conditions. And she told the crowd of about 2,500 Obama supporters at Fort Lauderdale’s War Memorial Auditorium, re-electing her husband in November is the only guarantee these programs will survive.”

First Lady Keeps Women’s Health in Spotlight [NBC 6] 
Before big event, Michelle Obama makes unannounced Fort Lauderdale stop [Sun Sentinel] 

NEW Q POLL: OBAMA, NELSON UP “President Barack Obama hits the magic 50 percent mark against Gov. Mitt Romney among likely voters in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, with wide support for his plan to hike federal income taxes on upper-income voters, according to a Quinnipiac University/ CBS News/New York Times Swing State Poll released today. ..In Florida’s U.S. Senate race, Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson leads U.S. Rep. Connie Mack”

#TASTELESS via @PaulFleming “The most important thing, of course, is my speech Monday night,” jokes @FLGovScott about #Isaac threat to #RNCTampa

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL FRONT — MURPHY UP WITH NEW AD, DEMINGS HITS WEBSTER, RIVERA STILL UNDER FIRE (AND NEW INVESTIGATIONS) 

Murphy puts Allen West’s words in the mouths of kids to decry ‘bullying and name-calling’ [Palm Beach Post] “Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy‘s newest TV ad uses kids on a playground to repeat some of Republican Rep. Allen West‘s controversial words and decry the incumbent’s ‘bullying and name-calling.'” WATCH “TIME OUT” HERE. 

Val Demings: Dan Webster has not been accountable  [Orlando Sentinel] “Demings, a Democrat and former Orlando police chief , called a news conference today to release her “Accountability Plan.” Among other things, Demings called for:”

FBI, Miami-Dade police target Democratic primary candidate with possible ties to Congressman David Rivera [Miami Herald] “The FBI and Miami-Dade police have opened separate criminal investigations into the campaign of a Democratic congressional candidate who, vendors say, was aided by GOP Rep. David Rivera.”

ON THE STATE LEG FRONT — DUDLEY ZAPS FARKAS OVER ADVANCE NUCLEAR FEE 

Dudley zaps Farkas over nuclear costs [News Service of Florida] “State House candidate Dwight Dudley, D-St. Petersburg, is hammering Republican opponent Frank Farkas about a 2006 vote in which lawmakers allowed Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy Florida to charge customers for the costs of nuclear-power plants that will not be built for at least another decade — if ever.”

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW 

State Officials Still Turning Down Federal Money for At-Risk Families [FCIR] “Even after Florida lost its legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act, state officials are turning down federal health care grants connected to the law. The latest grant declined: $4.9 million aimed at helping at-risk women and babies in Florida.” 

Groups contend regulator has conflict of interest [Florida Current] “Two environmental groups filed a complaint Wednesday charging a top state regulator with a conflict of interest.”