November 19, 2003
60-40 VISION FILES:
Mel Martinez to Announce for Fla. Senate Bid (NewsMax, Nov. 19, 2003)
Housing Secretary Mel Martinez will announce that he will be a candidate for the U.S. Senate, perhaps as soon as the next two weeks, informed Washington sources tell NewsMax.com.Martinez’s decision comes after renewed urging by top Bush adviser Karl Rove and the recent decision by incumbent Sen. Bob Graham to retire.
Martinez has reportedly had recent discussions with Sen. George Allen, R-Va., chairman of the Senate GOP Campaign Committee and sources say that the president wants Martinez to run.
It also affords a nice opportunity--very rare in this Administration--to fill a Cabinet slot and do so in a way that scores some political points. How about Cory Booker? Posted by Orrin Judd at November 19, 2003 10:19 PM
There were articles that the FL GOP and others aren't for Martinez. But if field is cleared for him and he runs a good campaign it should be a pickup for the GOP (assuming there is no "Jindel effect" since he isn't white).
And as you note Bush can earn points by naming a good replacement (although being a small govt conservative I believe HUD should be greatly downsized, eliminated, or merged into another department)
My vote for his replacement would be:
The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell, Ohio Secretary of State.
Mr. Blackwell's public service includes terms as Mayor of Cincinnati, an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
Mr. Blackwell has consistently been betrayed by Ohio's RHINO's, and would be a superb member of Bush's Cabinet