A new poll from Rasmussen Reports shows that with Bud Chiles out of the governor’s race—a development announced yesterday but made official this morning—Sink and Scott are running dead-even statistically, with Scott leading 45 percent to 44 percent.

That’s well within the margin of error and an improvement for Sink from a week ago, when Rasmussen showed that Scott was holding a 41 percent to 36 percent lead, with Chiles picking up 8 percent. Nonetheless, Scott’s campaign is touting today’s results as a victory, since they don’t actually place Sink ahead of him.

GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott this morning named state Rep. Jennifer Carroll as his running mate.

Carroll is a 51-year-old U.S. Navy veteran who hails from the Jacksonville area, and the first black Republican woman elected to the Legislature. If successful in November, she would be the first black woman ever to serve as Florida’s lieutenant governor. Story here.

African Americans and women are both likely to be important constituencies for Alex Sink, Scott’s Democratic opponent. Responding this morning to questions from reporters, however, Sink said she is not worried about Scott’s choice of a running mate because she believes that voters are “past” casting ballots based on race and gender.

“I think that the people of Florida need to evaluate Rick Scott’s decision about his running mate and their team based on their past experience, and experiences, their accomplishments—and very importantly, what their vision for the vision of Florida is,” said Sink, whose running mate is Sen. Rod Smith, a white former state senator from Alachua. “I think people, when they go to vote, they’re past all these gender and racial issues. They’re really looking at the candidates, and the messages and the commitments that the candidates have to changing the future of Florida.”

The Charlie Crist U.S. Senate campaign is releasing an internal poll that shows the race a two-way tie between Crist and Marco Rubio, with Kendrick Meek trailing.

The numbers: Crist 35 percent, Rubio 34 percent, Meek 17 percent and undecided 14 percent.

The poll shows Crist and Meek splitting the Democratic vote evenly. Among Republican respondents, Rubio dominates with 66 percent but Crist holds 21 percent.

Some other recent polls have shown Rubio moving ahead of Crist, and some have shown the race too close to call. But a poll from the Crist campaign itself showing a tie seems to indicate that Crist has lost the lead he enjoyed just a few weeks ago—a lead he held largely because Democrats backed him over Meek.

In her bid to become Tampa’s next mayor, Hillsborough County Commissioner Rose Ferlita has picked up a coveted endorsement from the union representing the county’s firefighters.

In a statement released Wednesday by Ferlita’s campaign, George Sucarichi, President of the Hillsborough County Fire Fighters local 2294, said the endorsement was based on her strong record as a public safety advocate, both as a county commissioner and former Tampa City Council member.

“We truly believe the timing for your vision of an engaged, collegial, and cooperative effort throughout the local region is at hand,” he said in the statement . “Your impeccable record of public service and your inspiring ability to lead as a public official is a testament to your commitment to the citizens of the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County.”

Ferlita currently has four opponents who want to succeed Mayor Pam Iorio: City Council Chairman Thomas Scott; former councilman Bob Buckhorn; former Tampa police officer Marion Lewis; and Arthur Richardson, a mortgage company manager.

The city election, which will include contests for all seven city council seats, will be held in March 2011.

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