The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Mel Martinez Retiring

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Mel Martinez Retiring

By W. James Antle, III on 12.2.08 @ 11:29AM

Republican Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida is retiring after only one term. President Bush and Karl Rove plucked him from the Cabinet in 2004 to run in the Sunshine State's competitive Senate race, helping to build the GOP's (short-lived) 55-seat majority.

On the one hand, this looks like more of the same: Another Republican who could conceivably be reelected is throwing a seat to the wolves rather than toiling in the minority. On the other, it shouldn't be too difficult to find a Republican candidate who fires up the party's base -- still a significant force in Florida -- better than Mel Martinez.

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L. Ross| 12.2.08 @ 1:51PM

Wimp.

Jeff| 12.2.08 @ 2:13PM

Mel sees the writing on the wall. He couldn't deliver the Latino vote for McCain. Florida's going Democratic. Bye Mel...thanks for your mediocrity and knee-jerk conservative hooey.

Quartermaster| 12.2.08 @ 7:11PM

Martinez is just another country club RINO that betrayed his country for a racist bowl of illegal immigration pottage. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

ruth| 12.2.08 @ 8:48PM

Talk about dead wood.

RTB2| 12.2.08 @ 10:46PM

I want to march with the Quartermaster - Now lets find a Sarah Palin CONSERVATIVE HISPANIC WOMEN with a handicap suffered in service to her country as the next Senator of Florida! If Republicans want to be liked by the Democrats I don't want to be associated with them. That is exactly why I dropped my allegiance to the party, resigned and re-registered as an independent. A meaningless gesture BUT one I had to make. I voted for Sarah Palin 1st, against Obama 2nd and for McCain by default. Now I simply pray that I am in fact wrong and that these lefties are going to show me the light. Yes we CAN-"Change, change, chachachange.......