Mr. Speaker of the House, 2014?

It's never too early to test the waters to be Florida House speaker -- even if you're not in the Legislature yet. Mike Weinstein, an unopposed Republican in a suburban Jacksonville House district, has begun quietly seeking support to follow the 2012 presumed frontrunner for speaker, Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.

"There's some validity to it, but it's a ways out," Weinstein told The Buzz.

A friend of speaker-designee Rep. Ray Sansom, Weinstein already has benefitted from a fundraiser with Sansom and the next expected speaker, Dean Cannon -- who are prominently featured on Weinstein's website for the District 19 race (Rep. Dick Kravitz is term limited). Speaker Marco Rubio has endorsed him, too.

Who is Weinstein? He heads Take Stock in Children, a statewide student-mentoring and scholarship program. He helped bring the 2005 Super Bowl to Jacksonville. He lost the 2003 mayor's race there, too.

Tampa Tribune