McCollum leads Sink, 41 percent to 31 percent, in a poll that has a 2.4 percent margin of error. McCollum held a 4-point lead in polls last August and October.

The poll also finds 57 percent of Floridians oppose the Democratic health care overhaul legislation moving through Congress and 55 percent favor increased drilling in federal waters off Florida — but not if rigs are as close as five miles from shore.

Poll respondents generally don’t support relaxing immigration laws in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti that is likely to increase the number of refugees leaving the island.

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Deutch

“We have a duty to make sure we don’t let quick decisions in the pursuit of potentially easy budget fixes get in the way of a balanced economy that includes considerable revenue from coastal tourism,” Deutch said.

The bill would call for a nine-member panel of experts, known as the Florida Energy independence and Coastal Protection Task Force. It would include appointees from the governor, the House speaker, Senate president and, uniquely, one each from the minority party leaders in each chamber. (Read the press release here.)

Aronberg

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Atwater: no quick vote on compact

Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, sent Crist a list of questions about the compact - the second deal Crist inked with the tribe - today seeking “clarification.”

Atwater gave Crist until Oct. 9 to respond.

In an interview, Atwater also said he’d like the final compact to include provisions allowing the Palm Beach Kennel Club and other parimutuels around the state to add video slot machines or otherwise expand gambling if voters give the OK in local referenda. Such a measure was approved by legislators in the spring, but was not part of the recent compact Crist agreed to with the Seminoles.

Crist: wants early-October vote

No dice on that, either, Atwater said in a memo sent to the Senate and the media.

“As you all are aware, this issue involves a series of complex conversations with a variety of interests and impacts throughout our State. There are policy decisions to be considered that are not well served by undue haste. If, or when, the Senate takes up this issue it will be in a manner that allows for sufficient time to debate the facts and the merits of such policy,” Atwater wrote.

Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, blocked consideration late in this year’s legislative session of a House measure to allow drilling from 3 miles to 10.5 miles off Florida’s coast. But in response to an audience question at today’s Forum Club of the Palm Beaches lunch, Atwater said the issue won’t go away and legislators will have to engage in a “big conversation” about it.

A group called FloridaOil.org wants to put a drilling question on the 2010 ballot. And Atwater said that regardless of what Florida does, other nations might act.

“Someone is going to tap our offshore oil. It’s either going to be the Chinese or someone else,” Atwater told the Forum Club.

“We need to have a much deeper, more thorough conversation on how far out and how thoughtful, careful and safe can we begin the research as to what’s there and when and if we should go after it,” Atwater said.

A fisherman checks the lines on his boat as he trolls the Gulf of Mexico near a natural gas well off the Alabama coast. With fossil fuel imports rising, prices soaring and the offshore-drilling ban expiring in 2012, the industry believes the time is right to press an issue that is has traditionally faced stiff opposition from many environmentalists and coastal states. (AP)

In a historic vote that drove home the changing politics of off-shore drilling in Florida, the Republican-dominated House voted to take the first step toward opening the state’s coastline to oil and gas rigs.

The proposal, which lets the governor and Florida Cabinet allow drilling between three and 10.5 miles off the coast, now moves to the Senate, where support is less likely. Republican leaders in that chamber say the measure appeared too late in the session to receive a thorough debate, said Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales.

But that problem didn’t slow the House, where Republicans dominated a largely partisan 70-43 vote.

Reps. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda of Tallahassee and Debbie Boyd of Newberry were the only Democrats to support the bill (HB 1219). Three Republicans opposed the bill: Bill Galvano of Bradenton, Jim Frishe of St. Petersburg and Ed Hooper of Clearwater.

The issue has traditionally fallen along geographic lines, with coastal politicians voicing the loudest opposition.

That sentiment started changing last year when Republican Gov. Charlie Crist said he would support offshore drilling in Florida after Republican presidential nominee John McCain made it an issue in his campaign.

On Monday, Crist said he was concerned about drilling too close to the coast, but said he would consider the House’s proposal, pushed by Speaker-designate Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park. Listen here Cannon explain his support of the bill.

But Crist urged the Senate to keep it separate from an alternative energy package the chamber is considering.

“Each of those ideas can stand on their own merit,” Crist said.

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With the clock running on the legislative session, a pair of television ads popped up on airwaves around the Capitol this weekend.

The first, from Florida Energy Solutions Coalition (which is the Florida Petroleum Council and Associated Industries of Florida) cites the state’s 9.7 percent unemployment rate as a reason lawmakers should open more of the state’s waters for drilling. Watch the sspot here.

The second is from Floridians for Tax Fairness, which shares a Miami mailing address with the Dosal Tobacco Corp.

Couldn’t find a copy of the ad on the internet, but it essentially paints the Dosal company as a family business that might be crushed by a tax-hungry legislature. Dosal was not included in the state’s tobacco settlement, but companies that were have asked lawmakers to consider additional fees for Dosal.