Sen. Martinez Won’t Seek Re-Election in 2010

Republican Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida said Tuesday he will not seek a second term in 2010, citing a desire to spend time with his family.

“The call to public service is strong but the call to home, family and lifelong friends is even stronger,” Martinez said at a news conference in Orlando.

Martinez said his decision “was not based on re-election prospects,” despite sagging poll numbers, and noted that he has faced difficult elections and adversity in the past. He had been expected to face a strong challenge.

Former Gov. Jeb Bush is the most promintent possible GOP candidate in place of Martinez, but party sources suggested he might not be interested. Other possibilities include former state House Speaker Marco Rubio and Rep. Adam H. Putnam , who recently stepped down as head of the House Republican Conference. Earlier in his career, Putnam said the only statewide race he was likely to consider in the future was for governor — not Senate.

On the Democratic side, Alex Sink, the state’s chief financial officer, has been mentioned as a strong potentital candidate. Other possible Democratic contenders include U.S. Reps. Allen Boyd , Kendrick B. Meek and Debbie Wasserman Schultz , and state Sen.-elect Dan Gelber.

Whoever runs for either party will have to raise a daunting amount of money for what is likely to be one of the next cycle’s most expensive Senate contests.

Martinez, who served as secretary ofHousing and Urban Development from 2001-03, narrowly won election in 2004 against Democrat Betty Castor with 49 percent of the vote.

A former Cuban refugee who escaped Fidel Castro’s regime at the age of 15, Martinez’s background and social conservative ideology appealed to the party establishment as it seeks to woo Hispanic voters, but his willingness to compromise — particularly on immigration — has cost him the support of the GOP’s conservative wing in the Senate.

The first Cuban-American elected to the Senate, Martinez was a key negotiator on a broad bipartisan immigration proposal in 2006 and 2007. The legislation — backed by President Bush and drafted by Democrat Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and Republican John McCain of Arizona — would have combined tighter border security and immigration laws with a temporary worker program and an “earned” citizenship program for most illegal immigrants. Martinez championed the bill and stared down conservatives who wanted to further limit family reunification. But House GOP opposition doomed the bill.

Republican critics of the measure then set up a MartinezWatch.com Web site in an unsuccessful effort to block his election in 2006 as general chairman of the Republican National Committee. Martinez ultimately served only 10 months in the position; the rift between the senator and social conservatives on immigration — repeated in 2007 — appeared to outweigh their agreement on other issues. The chairmanship was a “misguided adventure,” Martinez joked on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” on Aug. 12, 2008, when he was promoting his book “A Sense of Belonging.”

Martinez serves on the Armed Services; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Energy and Natural Resources and Special Aging committees.

FYI - Alex Sink has pulled his name out for this seat.

Alex Sink is very much a "she". Too bad, too, she's probably be a very good Senator.

Despite what the article says, I think the door just opened for Jeb. He could win easily and he is a neocon to the core and a mega believer in deregulation, outsourcing and privatization. Also loves NCLB.

Jeb is the chosen evil one
41's pride and joy
41 did not do all he did just to see Jeb disappear

Jeb's a coming

and the Satan says 2016 will be when he is called to run

He won't in 2012 (maybe he will do a last minute run, when theoretically he cannot get the delegates,
and show 2016 is a coming)

You will know when he doesn't run in 2012, that the lightweight chosen will take a fall

BTW-Obama haters- you already hate Obama, so bow down to the devilJeb, because you'se a doing his biddin'