The candidates running for office in 2012 are officially in the books.
Friday was the deadline to file papers with the state to get on the ballots.
This year, more and more people filed their papers in person to avoid any chance of what happened 10 years ago. That's when, just one day before the end of the qualifying period, a Fed-Ex plane with hundreds of qualifying papers and checks crashed at the Tallahassee airport.
Still, this year is not without its own surprises, but this time it's the number of intra-party rivalries.
At the state senate level, Republicans are taking on each other in a number of races.
In Hillsborough County, conservative Rachel Burgin will face off against Tom Lee, a former Senate president Burgin calls too moderate.
In Pinellas, newcomer Jeff Brandes will go agsinst long-time political fixture Jim Frishe.
Strategist Steve Schale says that's a race worth watching, especially for democrats.
"The Senate this last year blocked a lot of the Rick Scott agenda, and so I think what you're seeing are the more conservative elements of the party wanting a Senate that looks more like the conservative elements of the Republican Party, and I think you see the Democrats looking at that as an opportunity, realizing that Florida really is a center-right or moderate state, to elect more Democrats to the Senate," said Schale.
Because of redistricting and the many GOP matchups, Democratic party leaders say they're hopeful they could pick up as many as four state Senate seats. The party hasn't picked up any seats in the Senate in nearly 30 years.
The primary will be held August 14.