Winner of the week: Al Cardenas. The former Florida GOP chairman was elected chairman of the American Conservative Union, succeeding David Keene, who had held the post since in 1984. The already high profile power broker with the world’s most perfectly folded pocket handkerchiefs is now a national leader. At CPAC Cardenas even received an enthusiastic video introduction from a longtime friend, Sen. Marco Rubio, despite having endorsed Charlie Crist for the Senate.

Loser of the week: Florida’s teachers unions. With so few allies in power left in Tallahassee and Michelle Rhee embraced as a rock star, ending teacher tenure and enacting merit pay looks inevitable this year in the Legislature. And get this number from a newly released Florida Chamber of Commerce poll by Cherry Communications: More than 68 percent of registered voters — including 58 percent of Democrats — believe “teacher unions are looking out mainly for themselves and their union members instead of the best interest of our children’s education.” Runner up: Tampa mayoral candidate Dick Greco. Comparing civil rights riots to panty raids? He may be one of the few politicians who could overcome such a bone-headed gaffe.

Posted by Adam C. Smith at 4:15:00 pm on February 13, 2011