In a development that took the Republican establishment by surprise, Sen. Mel Martinez -- the former chair of the Republican National Committee who earlier served as President Bush's HUD secretary -- is expected to announce momentarily that he will not seek a second term. The St. Petersburg Times reports that Martinez may in fact leave the Senate in advance of his term in 2010, which would allow Gov. Charlie Crist (R) to appoint a replacement.
One of the Democratic Party's leading stars in the Sunshine State, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, is also expected to say she will forgo a Senate bid and instead seek re-election to her Cabinet post. Jim Johnson, who writes the StateofSunshine blog, says that no matter whom the Dems put up — he suggests state Sen. Dan Gelber — Martinez was in trouble.
He is not the darling of Florida conservatives. He is a former trial lawyer who backed President George Bush's immigration reform legislation -- a bill conservatives labeled 'amnesty.' Much like Senator John McCain, he just doesn't light the fire of the far right base of the GOP.
More to come.
categories: Midterm Exams
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