Florida Republican Senator Mel Martinez announced early vacation of his Congressional seat as soon as Governor Charlie Crist appoints successor. Florida Governor Crist left appointing Senate successor after announcing run for Congressional seat at end of term.
Florida government lawyers congressional news alert-Orlando Republican Senator Mel Marinez leaves Florida Governor Crist with vacant Senate seat.
Orlando, FL–Florida Senator Mel Martinez, a Republican, announced early resignation of his Senate seat at a press conference in an Orlando airport on Friday. The Senator initially shocked his constituents and the U.S. Senate with a letter, early Friday morning, stating he did not intend to return to Washington after the Congressional summer recess, as reported by the New York Times.
Senator Martinez, former chairman of the Republican National Committee and former secretary of housing and urban development under President George W. Bush, previously announced he would not run for re-election in 2010 for a second term. Governor Charlie Crist, a Republican, who announced in May he would run for Martinez’s Senate seat is now in the bizarre position of having to appoint a successor to Martinez. The Governor has yet to announce who he will appoint but Republicans anticipate the Florida leader will not select himself.
The Miami Herald released a list of three potential Senate candidates to fill the remainder of U.S. Senator Mel Martinez’s term late Friday afternoon. The following three gentlemen have extensive resumes including experience in Florida politics and their names are as follows: Jim Smith of Jacksonville, who is currently a lawyer and lobbyist with the firm of Smith and Ballard in Tallahassee; Bob Martinez of Tampa, Florida, who is currently a senior policy adviser with the Tamp based law firm of Holland and Knight; and Allan Bense of Panama City, Florida and currently a partner in GAC Contractors, a Panama City construction company.
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