Speaking on Tampa radio station 1470 AM-WMGG with Republican political consultant and blogger Chris Ingram, Sharpe said he would not end his campaign to run for the District 11 seat currently held by Democrat Kathy Castor, but instead suspend it. He said he might re-enter the race after the courts decide on the newly drawn legislative and congressional districts voted on yesterday by the Florida Senate (the Democrats have already filed suit, and a number of other groups say they will file litigation when and if Governor Rick Scott signs the legislation).

"My hope was that the redistricting effort would create a competitive map where I could run a race that would be worthy of the district..where I could raise money and spend it wisely, and a race where we would have a chance of winning," he told Ingram.

"The way the map has been gerrymandered, it still makes it nearly impossible to have a good competitive race."

The Hillsborough County Commissioner announced last August in a much covered press conference at Tampa's Buddy Brew coffee shop that in fact he would enter the race for the Republican race for Congress in District 11, where he hoped to take on Castor this fall.

Are you not ready for some football?

Yes, it's February people, football is history. But there is the Grammy Awards and CPAC for your viewing pleasure this weekend.

Later today Mark Sharpe will make his much anticipated announcement about his political future. Rumors abound that the Hillsborough County Commissioner will opt to drop out of the race to challenge Kathy Castor for Congress. Whatever he decides, check back here later today for an update. UPDATE: Sharpe announced Friday morning he was suspending his congressional campaign. Read more here.)

Sharpe's former colleague on the BOCC, Tom Scott, tells CL he's seriously considering running for the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections office this year.

We saw another Scott at the opening day of the Florida State Fair on Thursday - Governor Rick Scott, who presided over the annual Governor's Day Luncheon there because, well, he is the Governor.

In Tallahassee, the Florida Democratic Party is already in court trying to block the new redistricting maps passed in the Florida Legislature, and a host of other groups say they'll do so as well once Scott signs the bill. The groups contend the districts violate Amendment 5 and 6, and disproportionately favor Republicans.

And a Tampa Tribune staffer leaving his job lets his colleagues know what he thinks at the place he's toiled for so many years.

On a 32-5 vote, the Florida Senate passed the new congressional maps, with seven of the 12 Senate Democrats supporting it. Lakeland's Paula Dockery was the only Republican who opposed. The legislators then followed on a 31-7 vote to approve the legislative maps, with Dockery joined by Mike Fasano as the lone Republicans to oppose the plan.

Florida Democrats immediately filed a lawsuit. Party Chair Rod Smith said, "Republicans have undertaken the sort of incumbent protection and partisan gerrymandering that 63-percent of Florida voters overwhelmingly demanded must stop,"

We've hung out with some of those former longtime staffers on occasion over the years, and, perhaps not surprisingly for people who have devoted their whole professional careers to an institution, they care deeply about what's happening at Mother Trib, and they're not pleased.

In December, Media General fired 165 staffers at the Tribune and some of its smaller publications. Rumors continue to abound about the tenuous future of the publication. And some reporters there tell CL the morale hasn't been very good at Parker Street for a long time.

• Gov. Rick Scott

After a series of activities, including conducting a Cabinet meeting, the Governor joined much of the Hillsborough County political establishment — Democrats and Republicans alike — as they gathered inside the Charles M. Davis Special Event Center, the site of the annual Governor’s Day Luncheon, where corn dogs were de rigueur on the plates of the high and mighty.

The Governor did break some news during his address, announcing a new $45 million partnership with the Port of Tampa that will enable the port to expand to handle up to five million more tons of petroleum products per year after improvements are completed in 2014. According to a press release from the Governor's office, the port estimates the project will create over 641 construction jobs, as well as more than 8,200 direct and indirect jobs over the next 30 years. The $45 million is being split down the middle, with $22.5 million coming from the Florida Department of Transportation and the rest from the Tampa Port Authority.

• Tom Scott is poised to get back into the political arena

Speaking to CL at the Florida State Fair Governor's Day Luncheon on Thursday, Scott confirmed reports that surfaced this week that he will decide within the next month or so if he will run for office again.

Though there has been some speculation that he was looking at the Clerk of the County's position currently held by Pat Frank, Scott said Frank has informed him that despite some recent health issues, she will run for re-election this year.

That leaves the Supervisor of Elections gig.