Martinez to resign Senate seat
by Michael C. Bender | August 7th, 2009This blog has been updated since it was originally posted at 10:37 a.m.
U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., announced today that he will resign his office more than a year early.
“My priorities have always been my faith, my family and my country and at this stage in my life, and after nearly twelve years of public service in Florida and Washington, it’s time I return to Florida and my family,” Martinez said in a letter sent to family and friends today. “So today I am announcing my decision to step down from public office, effective on a successor taking office to fill out the remainder of my term.”
Martinez announced in December that he would not seek re-election in 2010. Since then, there have been rampant rumors that he would resign before the end of his term. His communications team has repeatedly denied those rumors and successfully questioned the motives of such a move.
One of the rumors is that Martinez would replace T.K. Wetherell as Florida State University president. Wetherell is stepping down, but Martinez has indicated that he was interested in spending more time with his family in Orlando.
Martinez has scheduled a 3 p.m. press conference in Orlando.
Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, a candidate to replace Martinez, told Central Florida 13 that he will not appoint himself. Crist is in Tampa today to tour the MacDill Air Force Base.
The likely replacement is FSU Chairman Jim Smith, The Palm Beach Post has learned.
“The governor should appoint a caretaker,” Palm Beach County Republican Chairman Sid Dinerstein said, “someone who specifically is there for the year and a half and is not going to seek the job next year.”
Tags: Mel Martinez
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August 7th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Good riddance.
August 7th, 2009 at 10:55 am
Mr Martinez was a disapppointment for those of us who voted for him, thinking he would bring more conservative ideas to the floor. Unfortunately most of his votes were not conservative….especially the recent one, that of Sotomayor and his votes on illegal immigration. I am not sorry to see him go. I believe he entered politics in order to enjoy the outrageous pension memebers of congress get….that is so sad. I voted for Crist, He is another disappointment. If he runs for that seat, he will not get my vote.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Earth to LU. Crist will be running for that Senate seat in 2010 as the incumbent. He is going to appoint himself to the vacancy.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:13 am
This is awful. Crist appoints himself to the senate and then we’re stuck with the Lt. Gov until 2010 – Kottcreep or whatever his name is.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:14 am
So why did he step down? I’m guessing another scandal that has yet to unfold, but that is speculation. What is it with Republicans these days – can’t stand the heat?
August 7th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Ummm… I assume he’s stepping down specifically so Charlie can appoint himself to the position, and increase his chances of keeping the seat.
I would be certain this was all worked out ahead of time.
After all, why would Charlie want to be a “lame duck Governor” like Sarah Palin.
August 7th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Crist would face political suicide if he appointed himself and left this mess behind, plus the new Senator is put right in the firing line on health care reform. My bet is that Frank Brogan gets the nod as caretaker, waits a year for the Chancellor position….any takers?
August 7th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Maybe he will go back to Cuba !!!!!
August 7th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
No No No Crist is NO better than Mel, Can’t this state find a real person that would work FOR THE PEOPLE?
August 7th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
There’s always Jeb but Christ wouldn’t have the – to do that because he could not defeat him.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Crist has already stated as (he was boarding a plane for Tampa today) that he will not appoint himself.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
South Carolina will never outdo Florida in the a****hole category. What a joke this state is!
August 7th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Prsident Bush is gone, and Mel is really lost. Both were a big waste.
August 7th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Mel thanks you were more a democrat than a republican. Thanks for your vote for the RACIST & GENDER BIASED Sotomayor a fellow hispanic. That was voting your heart and not representing your constituency.
Good luck in your new Cuban job.
Remeber Afro-Americans are the best than hispanic americans #2. Let whitey pay for it all.
August 7th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Mel would be voted out anyway because he was a truly a democrat. He voted with the dems all the way. I would have never voted for him except that Bush gave him the blessing all for the hispanic vote. Well I think most Hispanic’s are conservative and don’t know what Mel was doing acting like a democrat operative.
Good riddance. We need to take a look at Marco Rubio, who plans on running for Mel’s seat. He’s Hispanic but he’s claiming to be a true conservative. We need to check him out. No more Democrats pretending to hod Republican values.
August 7th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I am glad to see him go. However, When someone decides to serve they should stay the full term, after all they are well aware of the what is required when they ran
for office
August 7th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I think these Republicans are finally seeing the damage they have done to this country over the past 8 years and are leaving office in disgust with their party, it’s leaders, and its ideas.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
I can not believe these idiotic right wing Cuban nuts castigating MM for being a closet Dem! He was a knee jerk right wing vote on anything [and a slave to Dubya] up to the recent Supreme Court vote. A Latino who saw the light? Give me a break. Who said ethnic pol was dead! So theoretically his mother had lung cancer and he became a sudden convert to lung cancer causes. This guy is stupid–I would love to know his IQ; like why was he stupid enough to become Chair of the Rep at such a time? Extremely glad to see him go. The real cause; more than stupidity? Dunno, JP
August 8th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Say Hello to your new Senator from Florida: SARAH PALIN