Buffeted by weeks of negative press and a newly threatening rival from the right, FL Gov. Charlie Crist's (R) campaign will step up direct engagements with his opponent, insiders tell OnCall.

Crist will attack former FL House Speaker Marco Rubio (R), citing his rival's failure to advance some conservative causes while leading the state House, for spending excessively while in the Speaker's office and for dragging his feet on immigration legislation that many Republicans favored.

Georgia:

Congressman Nathan Deal is pushing the Senate to include his identification and citizenship verification language in the Senate health care bill.

It would prohibit tax dollars from being used to provide health care benefits to illegal immigrants.

The Gainesville Republican tried unsuccessfully to have it included in the House health care overhaul bill.

South Carolina:

Could Illinois Senate candidate Patrick Hughes be the next insurgent Republican candidate to get the backing of Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.)?

Hughes is slated for his second meeting with DeMint on Thursday (the two also met in September), and DeMint’s Senate Conservative Fund website is currently polling visitors on whom they support in Hughes’s primary with Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.).

DeMint has backed former Rep. Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio in Florida and Chuck DeVore in California, all in the face of establishment favorites. Toomey, of course, soon assumed that mantle when Sen. Arlen Specter switch to the Democratic side.

Hughes fits the mold, in that he has caught the eyes of some on the conservative movement, while running against the centrist Kirk.

North Carolina:

Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC) announced late 11/13 that he would not challenge Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) next year, leaving two other Dems, atty/Obama fundraiser Ken Lewis (D) and '02 candidate/Sec/State Elaine Marshall (D) still in the race. Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy (D) and '00 GOV candidate/ex-LG Dennis Wicker (D) said this week they may also be interested in running if Etheridge doesn't, and the DSCC might well be on the market for a new candidate, if the cmte is disatisfied with its current options. In fact, the Raleigh News & Observer suggests the DSCC might still attempt to nudge atty/Iraq vet/ex-state Sen. Cal Cunningham (D) back into the race, even though he said earlier this week that he would not run.

Alabama:

Among '08 freshmen, the Democrat who is furthest to the left of his district is ... wait for it ... Bobby Bright. That's right, the second most conservative Democrat (behind Walt Minnick, who's basically useless) is also the freshman who is farthest to the left of his district, simply because his district is so conservative.

Kentucky:

As Republicans Trey Grayson and Rand Paul quarrel over who is the true conservative in the Kentucky U.S. Senate race, GOP stalwart Cathy Bailey appears unconvinced by either campaign and might enter the race, herself.

What's going on in your state?