CNN is reporting that Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), who had already announced he was not seeking reelection in 2010, will resign early and allow Gov. Charlie Crist to appoint a successor. Crist is running to replace Martinez but will probably name a caretaker to the seat rather than risk a huge lead by appointing himself. Martinez is a Crist supporter, because his vision of Republican outreach to the Hispanic community extends to Sonia Sotomayor but not Marco Rubio.
