Meeting with Gov.-elect Charlie Crist for the first time since the election, members of the Florida congressional delegation repeatedly used the word “bipartisan” but split on who should rightfully occupy the state’s last congressional seat.

State election officials have certified that Republican Vern Buchanan won the District 13 race by 369 votes although approximately 18,000 voters in Sarasota County did not show a recorded vote in the congressional contest. Meanwhile, the Democratic candidate, Christine Jennings, has filed suit calling for a new election.

Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Pensacola, told delegation members it was important that “Florida solve the problem” and not have outsiders come into the state demanding a new election.

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Tim Mahoney says Mark Foley has the worst record in the Florida delegation on supporting veterans.

Mahoney points to a voting scorecard compiled by the Disabled American Veterans which shows Foley voted the way the DAV wanted only 13 percent of the time on eight key votes picked by the organization during the past two years.

“By voting to reduce benefits for our veterans and their families during their time of need, Mr. Foley has done a disservice to our military families. Our men and women in uniform deserve the best care in the world,” Mahoney said in a statement.

Foley spokesman Jason Kello responded in a statement that “since 2001, Congressman Foley has voted to increase veterans’ healthcare spending by 69 percent. Last year, he worked to increase veterans’ medical spending by over $1.7 billion and this year Congressman Foley voted to increase veterans’ medical services funding by $2.6 billion. Congressman Foley has a long record of working on behalf of veterans in the 16th District — bringing VA outpatient clinics to several more of his counties and having a veterans’ cemetery built for South Florida. Mahoney’s dishonest attacks won’t stand up to Congressman Foley’s record (of) accomplishment on behalf of our nation’s veterans.”

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It was all the idea of his young staff who love Comedy Central‘s Stephen Colbert. They talked Democratic Congressman Robert Wexler of Boca Raton into being on Colbert’s mock interview show.

It’s so funny Q tears were falling. Wexler had to endure watching the program Thursday night with his 17-year-old daughter and 13-year old son, who Q believes will never let Dad forget it.

Update: Colbert fires back at morning talk shows

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, a self-proclaimed taxpayer watchdog group, has released its annual ratings of how well members of Congress did in voting against what it deems “wasteful programs and pork-barrel spending.”

Not surprisingly, the list of issues chosen by the group favors Republicans over Democrats.

Among the Florida delegation,

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Sen. Mel Martinez has been chosen for a “Best and Brightest Award” from the American Conservative Union for his votes on 25 issues in 2005 selected by the conservative lobbying organization. Martinez and Rep. John Mica, R-Winter Park, were the only Florida delegation members to score 100 percent.

Rep. Katherine Harris came in with a 92 percent rating. She parted ways with the union on two issues. One was an amendment that would have lifted the ban on natural gas drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf; Harris voted against lifting the ban, the union wanted it lifted. The other was to set higher vehicle mileage standards. Harris supported the effort; the union opposed it. House members and senators were not rated on the same items because some were only considered in one chamber or the other.

Sen. Bill Nelson scored a 20, which was a substantial shift to the right from his score of 4 for 2004. Among other local lawmakers: E. Clay Shaw Jr., scored 71; Mark Foley scored 63; Alcee Hastings scored 4 and Robert Wexler scored zero.