Kendrick Meek

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Florida Democrat running a distant third in the state's three-way Senate race vowed on Thursday to stay in the contest and denied media reports that former President Bill Clinton asked him to withdraw.

Poll: Rubio's lead over Crist shrinks in Fla. Senate race; Sink leads in close governor's race. A new poll shows Republican Marco Rubio's lead shrinking in his bid for an open U.S. Senate seat in Florida.

THE INFLUENCE GAME: NFL PAC makes nearly $600,000 in campaign donations as lockout looms. The National Football League's political offshoot handed out almost $600,000 in campaign cash in its rookie election cycle, building goodwill among lawmakers that could pay off during a looming dispute with the players union.

Crist answers on party switch, policy shifts more challenged in final debate _ by moderator. Independent candidate Charlie Crist was taken to task during the final U.S. Senate debate Tuesday for his answers on leaving the GOP, shifting policy positions, and whether he'd caucus with Democrats or the GOP should he win the three-way race.

Rubio, at 39, is on the young side for a politician and often looks it: he has a boyish grin that he works busily on the campaign trail.

Palin headlines rally for Fla. Republicans, says now is not the time to let up. The momentum of the midterm elections is with the GOP, but now is not the time for supporters to let up, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin told a jubilant crowd of Florida Republicans on Saturday.

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin rallied Republican candidates in Florida on Saturday by pillorying President Barack Obama's healthcare reforms and economic policies -- and she also used her speech to plug her new TV reality show "Sarah Palin's Alaska."

Palin headlines rally for Fla. Republicans, says now is not the time to let up. The momentum of the midterm elections is with the GOP, but now is not the time for supporters to let up, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin told a jubilant crowd of Florida Republicans on Saturday.

Palin speaks at Florida rally, says momentum with Republicans heading into midterm elections. Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is telling a jubilant crowd in Florida that the momentum of the midterm elections is with Republicans.

Guests for the Sunday TV news shows. Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows:

Crist tries to distance self from Obama in Fla. Sen. debate; Rubio battles extremist label. Gov. Charlie Crist tried to distance himself from President Barack Obama in a debate Tuesday after months of reaching out to Democrats in his independent bid for Senate, and Republican Marco Rubio made a case against the extremist tag his opponents are giving him.

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton tried on Tuesday to lift Democrat contender Kendrick Meek's flagging fortunes in Florida's Senate race by warning a Republican takeover of Congress could endanger economic recovery.

Fla. Senate candidates clash over Social Security, abortion in spirited 3-way debate. Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio accused Gov. Charlie Crist on Friday of using "shameful" scare tactics to frighten seniors about his views on Social Security, but Crist stood his ground while Democratic candidate and U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek said both men are suspect on protecting benefits.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says Democrat can't win Fla. Senate race, endorses independent Crist. A member of the Kennedy clan said Wednesday that Democratic Congressman Kendrick Meek cannot win the Florida Senate race and instead endorsed independent Gov. Charlie Crist.

Poll: Tea party favorite Rubio maintains big lead over Crist, Meek in Florida Senate race. A new poll shows Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio is leading in Florida by a wide margin over independent Gov. Charlie Crist and Democrat Kendrick Meek.

Schwarzenegger endorses Gov. Crist's independent run for Florida Senate seat. Gov. Charlie Crist lost endorsements from prominent Republicans when he bolted the party for an independent Senate run, but one is sticking by him: California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

MIAMI (Reuters) - California's Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday announced his support of Florida's embattled Governor Charlie Crist and his independent bid for the U.S. Senate.

POLITICAL INSIDER: Clinton, Palin compete for influence in surprise race for Senate in W.Va.. It is the Comeback Kid against the Mama Grizzly in West Virginia's Senate race.

POLITICAL INSIDER: Lagging in popularity and out-of-sight, Bush not in demand for GOP. Former President Bill Clinton is busy on the campaign trail, helping candidates in races from Florida to Washington state. His successor, George W. Bush? Holed up in Texas.

Gay activists in Florida remain optimistic that Governor Charlie Crist has turned a corner on gay rights, despite recent stumbles. Gay activists in Florida remain optimistic that Governor Charlie Crist has turned a corner on gay rights, despite recent stumbles. The former Republican now running for the U.S. Senate as an independent released a document last month endorsing a number of gay rights initiatives, but stopped short of backing gay marriage. In the document, Crist says he supports efforts to end Florida's ban on gay adoption ? a stance he only previously hinted at ? because the law puts politics before the best interest of the child. Pointing to a videotaped interview with the Palm Beach Post where Crist appears to backtrack on the issue, Congressman Kendrick Meek, Crist's Democratic rival, suggested the governor's gay rights endorsement is not sincere. When asked in the interview if his position that ?children do best in a home with a mother and a father? has changed, Crist, a