Today’s installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.* Late last week, the Republican National Committee elected Florida’s Joe Gruters as its new chair to succeed Michael Whatley,

Florida Sen. Joe Gruters was elected without opposition on Friday as the next Republican National Committee chairman, expanding the state party’s influence in national politics.

On Friday in Atlanta, Sarasota’s Joe Gruters was unanimously picked to be the next chairman of the Republican National Convention. The appointment caps a nearly two-decade political career in which Gruters has held roles ranging from local volunteer to state senator.