Quote(CNN) â€" Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Florida, announced Tuesday will not seek reelection in 2010.
In a Florida press conference, Martinez said his decision was not based on the likelihood he would face a tough reelection fight.
"I've faced much tougher obstacles in my life," he said. "My decision is not based on re-election prospects, but on what on what I want to do with the next eight years of my life."
The first term senator and onetime National Republican Committee chairman narrowly won his first Senate race in 2004.
One congressional source cited Martinez's age, 62, and said "he is ready for the next chapter in his life."
It currently appears 19 GOP seats will be up for grabs in 2010.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/ (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/)
The first retirement of the 2010 cycle. He would have almost certainly lost anyway. This does open up the way for other GOP candidates.
Will Crist run? Jeb? Alex Sink announced she would not, but that was before this news.
Any favorites in the forum? Katherine Harris ;)
Good
Quote from: BridgeTroll on December 02, 2008, 12:56:21 PM
Good
Alex Sink, being the good Democrat that she is, will hopefully change her mind. This is an excellent opportunity and I hope that someone truly effective and willing to move past partisan politics in order to move Florida and the country forward will declare their candidacy.
PS - great joke to throw out the name of Katherine Harris :o
Quote from: City Slicker on December 03, 2008, 01:24:25 AM
PS - great joke to throw out the name of Katherine Harris :o
Well, with her expertise with electoral fraud, I wouldn't be surprised if she won even if she wasn't on the ballot!
Pretty sure I read that Jeb Bush may run for that seat.
Quote from: vicupstate on December 02, 2008, 12:21:06 PM
The first retirement of the 2010 cycle. He would have almost certainly lost anyway. This does open up the way for other GOP candidates.
Will Crist run? Jeb? Alex Sink announced she would not, but that was before this news.
Any favorites in the forum? Katherine Harris ;)
1. What makes you assume Martinez would not have won reelection? Considering the Georgia results yesterday, Democrats do not do nearly as well when there is not an Obama on the ticket with them.
2. Jeb is the current front runner. If he wants it, he can have it.
Quote from: CMG22 on December 03, 2008, 10:01:58 AM
Quote from: City Slicker on December 03, 2008, 01:24:25 AM
PS - great joke to throw out the name of Katherine Harris :o
Well, with her expertise with electoral fraud, I wouldn't be surprised if she won even if she wasn't on the ballot!
What fraud?
Quote from: RiversideGator on December 03, 2008, 11:32:16 PM
Quote from: vicupstate on December 02, 2008, 12:21:06 PM
The first retirement of the 2010 cycle. He would have almost certainly lost anyway. This does open up the way for other GOP candidates.
Will Crist run? Jeb? Alex Sink announced she would not, but that was before this news.
Any favorites in the forum? Katherine Harris ;)
1. What makes you assume Martinez would not have won reelection? Considering the Georgia results yesterday, Democrats do not do nearly as well when there is not an Obama on the ticket with them.
2. Jeb is the current front runner. If he wants it, he can have it.
Would the Georgia results have been any different in November if the third party candidate had not been on the ballot?
Had there been no third party option in November, Chambliss would still have won albeit by smaller margins.
The point is absent the unique Obama turnout wave the Democrats underperformed considerably in GA at least. And there will be no Obama on the ballot in 2010 and the party in the White House usually loses seat in their first mid-term Congressional election.
Quote from: RiversideGator on December 03, 2008, 11:32:16 PM
Quote from: vicupstate on December 02, 2008, 12:21:06 PM
The first retirement of the 2010 cycle. He would have almost certainly lost anyway. This does open up the way for other GOP candidates.
Will Crist run? Jeb? Alex Sink announced she would not, but that was before this news.
Any favorites in the forum? Katherine Harris ;)
1. What makes you assume Martinez would not have won reelection? Considering the Georgia results yesterday, Democrats do not do nearly as well when there is not an Obama on the ticket with them.
2. Jeb is the current front runner. If he wants it, he can have it.
1. Several reasons.
A) Terrible approval numbers:
Quotea Quinnipiac poll last month pegged his numbers at 42% approve and 33% disapprove, and a Strategic Vision poll was broadly similar -- 47% approve, 41% disapprove. Public Policy Polling, whose approval ratings can be idiosyncratic, had more pessimistic numbers: 23% approve, 37% disapprove. On average, that works out to 37% approve, 37% disapprove, or almost exactly breakeven.
VERY weak for an incumbent. Virtually guarantees a tough race.
B) Barely won the first time
... 49.5% - 48.4% , meanwhile Bush carried FL 52-47.
... in a GOP year, in a GOP state (at least in 2004).
C) A significant primary challenge was a distinct possibility. ALWAYS a bad omen for an incumbent.
D) He was a lousy/controversial senator.
... Controversial position (within the GOP) on Immigration
... campaign reporting violations from '04
... Terry Schivo
... Vehemently anti-gay, yet had ties to Mark Foley
... His illustrious tenure as RNC chair, which lasted less than a year.
He was easily the most vulnerable senator running in 2010. His extremely early exit is proof of that. He did his party a huge favor by stepping aside. he stood a very good chance of getting beat.
Obama
LOST Georgia. Obama
WON Florida. I wouldn't read too much into the GA result. BTW, there was no Obama on the ticket in 2006. Even when one party has a net loss of seats, it doesn't mean they don't pick up ANY new ones. They almost always do.
2.
As for Jeb, he is the favorite, but I wouldn't count that chicken yet. He isn't unbeatable.
Quote from: RiversideGator on December 04, 2008, 12:09:17 PM
Had there been no third party option in November, Chambliss would still have won albeit by smaller margins.
The point is absent the unique Obama turnout wave the Democrats underperformed considerably in GA at least. And there will be no Obama on the ballot in 2010 and the party in the White House usually loses seat in their first mid-term Congressional election.
Most likely Chambliss would have won in a two man race, but not by much. Martin was a less than ideal candidate, a stronger D candidate (Max Cleland, for instance) would have beaten Chambliss.
While the party in the White House does usually lose seats in the first mid-term, that average is two seats. Plus, there will be more GOP seats than Dem ones up. All but one of the D incumbents won easily in 2004 (a GOP presidential victory election). That one exception is in Colorado, a state which has turned a deep shade of blue since then. Conversely, several GOP incumbents rode presidential coatails to victory.
If Obama is reasonably popular, the D loss of seats could beat the average. Breaking even or gaining a seat or two, would not be out of the question by any means.
As always, retirements on both sides will weigh heavily in the final outcome. Usually, a retirement is bad news for the incumbent party of that seat. Not so, with Martinez.
Good luck with those predictions. ;)
On a related note, the Dems are already complaining about Obama:
Quote
Democrats want a more assertive Obama
Dec 4 09:47 PM US/Eastern
By JIM KUHNHENN
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrats are growing impatient with President-elect Barack Obama's refusal to inject himself in the major economic crises confronting the country.
Obama has sidestepped some policy questions by saying there is only one president at a time. But the dodge is wearing thin.
"He's going to have to be more assertive than he's been," House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., told consumer advocates Thursday.
Frank, who has been dealing with both the bailout of the financial industry and a proposed rescue of Detroit automakers, said Obama needs to play a more significant role on economic issues.
"At a time of great crisis with mortgage foreclosures and autos, he says we only have one president at a time," Frank said. "I'm afraid that overstates the number of presidents we have. He's got to remedy that situation."
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94S8I600&show_article=1
Quote from: RiversideGator on December 05, 2008, 12:18:02 AM
Good luck with those predictions. ;)
/quote]
How did you do with your predictions in 2008?
Quote from: RiversideGator on December 05, 2008, 12:18:02 AM
Good luck with those predictions. ;)
On a related note, the Dems are already complaining about Obama:
Quote
Democrats want a more assertive Obama
Dec 4 09:47 PM US/Eastern
By JIM KUHNHENN
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrats are growing impatient with President-elect Barack Obama's refusal to inject himself in the major economic crises confronting the country.
Obama has sidestepped some policy questions by saying there is only one president at a time. But the dodge is wearing thin.
"He's going to have to be more assertive than he's been," House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., told consumer advocates Thursday.
Frank, who has been dealing with both the bailout of the financial industry and a proposed rescue of Detroit automakers, said Obama needs to play a more significant role on economic issues.
"At a time of great crisis with mortgage foreclosures and autos, he says we only have one president at a time," Frank said. "I'm afraid that overstates the number of presidents we have. He's got to remedy that situation."
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94S8I600&show_article=1
I can't argue with Frank's assertion that Bush is too disengaged given our imploding economy.
I have no doubt you, and Rush and Sean would find unforgiveable fault, if Obama were doing any more than he is. You would insist he would be usurping power.
I wish the
Buchannan Bush administartion could be over sooner, but it just isn't possible. The President-elect actually RESPECTS what the constitution says.
Quote from: tufsu1 on December 05, 2008, 08:11:01 AM
Quote from: RiversideGator on December 05, 2008, 12:18:02 AM
Good luck with those predictions. ;)
/quote]
How did you do with your predictions in 2008?
President:
Prediction: 345-193 Obama
Reality: 365-173 Obama
I got one state wrong, Ohio, but at least I was happy to be wrong. I also got the Nebraska congressional EV correct.
Senate:
Prediction: D gain 8
Reality: D gain 7 or 8, TBD
Governorship:
Prediction: D gain MI and hold everything else
Reality: D gain MI and hold everything else
House:
Prediction: 4 D incumbents lose including one in FL
Reality: 4 D incumbents lose including one in FL
Prediction: Republicans lose 30 seats
Reality: Several seats still undecided, Repubs lose at least 21.
Prediction: Diaz-Balert brothers (Miami)both lose
Reality: Diaz-Balert brothers both won.
Did I mention I hate Miami voters ;)
Quote from: tufsu1 on December 05, 2008, 08:11:01 AM
Quote from: RiversideGator on December 05, 2008, 12:18:02 AM
Good luck with those predictions. ;)
How did you do with your predictions in 2008?
I dont recall predicting a McCain victory. I hoped for one and did not talk his chances down but I dont think I predicted a McCain win.
The facts obviously debunk Barney Frank's assertion ...
QuotePresident-elect Obama "is moving more quickly to fill his administration's top ranks than any newly elected president in modern times," the New York Times reports.
"He has named virtually the entire top echelon of his White House staff and nearly half of his cabinet. Just a month after his election, Mr. Obama has announced his selections for 13 of the 24 most important positions in a new administration."
"By comparison, Bill Clinton had filled only one of those jobs by this point in his transition, and Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan only two. Even the elder George Bush, who had the advantage of succeeding a fellow Republican, had picked just eight a month after his election. George W. Bush, stalled by the Florida recount, had named a chief of staff at this point in 2000 but was waiting to find out if he would even become president."
BTW, Gator did state in more than one post during the D primaries, that nominating Obama instead of Hillary would likely lead to a 'landslide loss' for the party. I will say, I was touched by his concern.
:D
Jeb is out of the running !!
I wonder if Crist will take the plunge. If he doesn't it will be pretty wide open, and no doubt a hard fought race.