Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio is out front in the effort to press Rick Scott to accept the federal high speed rail money. But on Wednesday, the push lost the support of the conservative Hillsborough County Commission, which includes former state Rep. Sandy Murman and former state Sen. Victor Crist.

Last month, the commission agreed to sign a letter urging Scott not to reject the $2.4 billion in federal money for the line between Tampa and Orlando.

But Muruman said she didn't like the language drafted by county staff, specifically a phrase asking the governor to reconsider his decision. Not the way you talk to a governor, Murman felt. So on Wednesday she got commissioners to agree not to send the letter after all.

Even when Commissioner Kevin Beckner suggested a slight tweak to remove the offending language, Murman said the governor's stance, initially taken and then reaffirmed, has made clear to her that it's a moot point. Beckner pursued a vote of support anyway, which died on a 3-3 vote, with Murman, Crist and Chairman Al Higginbotham voting against it.