GOP Sen. Martinez tells supporters he's resigning

[Hot Mega]

Pretty interesting trend...Mel joins Sarah on the list of quitters not to have in a foxhole with you.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Republican Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida said Friday he will resign from the Senate as soon as a replacement can be appointed, leaving the seat more than a year before his term ends.

Martinez, the only Hispanic Republican in the Senate, revealed his plans in a statement to supporters and was expected to publicly announce the decision Friday afternoon in Florida.

The first-term senator already had announced in December that he would not seek re-election in 2010, but had fended off rumors that he would give up the seat early.

His decision puts Republican Gov. Charlie Crist — who is running to replace him — in charge of filling the seat in the interim. Crist said Friday as he boarded a plane to Tampa that he would not appoint himself, but declined to discuss the issue further.

In a letter to friends and supporters obtained by The Associated Press, Martinez says he's stepping down early for personal reasons.
"My priorities have always been my faith, my family and my country, and at this stage in my life, and after nearly 12 years of public service in Florida and Washington, it's time I return to Florida and my family," Martinez wrote.
The note says his resignation will be "effective on a successor taking office to fill out the remainder of my term."

Officials predicted that Crist, who faces a Republican primary challenge and several Democratic contenders, would select a "placeholder" for the temporary assignment. Crist will almost surely appoint a Republican, which won't change the balance of power in the Senate, where Democrats control 60 seats needed to overcome Republican filibusters.

With Republicans struggling for relevance in the Democratic-controlled Congress, Martinez is the second GOP senator in recent days to announce his resignation. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said in late July she would resign this fall to challenge fellow Republican Rick Perry for governor.

Martinez's statement also had echoes of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's announcement to resign her position last month. Palin said she did not want to finish out her term as a lame duck who couldn't get anything done.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090807/ap_on_go_co/us_senate_martinez_resigns

 

[Rey C.]

Any idea what his true reasons are?

With Palin, it was apparent: she's a flake plus she wanted to chase $. But I don't know very much about Martinez. Any ideas?

 

[Baill Inneraora]

Quitter

 

[Friday on my mind]

As the story I read on it said he knew he couldn't be re-elected.Obama won Florida and he is seen as being too close to Bush.Plus he has problems even in the republican party since he supported immigration reform.Republicans just becoming a smaller tent all the time,dems gotta love it.

 

[CunningStunts]

As the story I read on it said he knew he couldn't be re-elected.Obama won Florida and he is seen as being too close to Bush.Plus he has problems even in the republican party since he supported immigration reform.Republicans just becoming a smaller tent all the time,dems gotta love it.

In the end, does it really matter?

I do think short of a family/health emergency, these "leaders" should finish their term. But did everyone on the elft get upset when Hillary whit her Senate seat and the people of NY when she wanted to be Pres? :dunno:

 

[Baill Inneraora]

You really can't see the difference in resigning in your second term because you were nominated to be your country's Secretary of State and quitting in your first term just because you can't handle it anymore? :dunno:

 

[CunningStunts]

You really can't see the difference in resigning in your second term because you were nominated to be your country's Secretary of State and quitting in your first term just because you can't handle it anymore? :dunno:

No. Quitting is quitting. The people voted them in, it's their duty to serve.

 

[rad2927]

Then Bush should never have been President and Mc Cain,Palin, Obama,and Biden couldn't have run. Where do we get candidates for anything with a no quitting for advancement rule?

 

[Friday on my mind]

Then Bush should never have been President and Mc Cain,Palin, Obama,and Biden couldn't have run. Where do we get candidates for anything with a no quitting for advancement rule?

I agree and even though Martinez is not quitting to take another position I have no problem with him leaving.And the truth is McCain,Obama,Hillary and all the rest of the ones who were in congress who ran for president didn't quit to run.

 

[Hot Mega]

No. Quitting is quitting. The people voted them in, it's their duty to serve.

You honestly consider successfully running for or accepting appointment to another office "quitting"?

Under that belief anyone who accepts a promotion or takes another job is a quitter under any circumstance is a "quitter" according to you. That's nonsensical IMO.

 

[CunningStunts]

You honestly consider successfully running for or accepting appointment to another office "quitting"?

Under that belief anyone who accepts a promotion or takes another job is a quitter under any circumstance is a "quitter" according to you. That's nonsensical IMO.

You are mixing private sector jobs with public service. ***emphasis on SERVICE***

Your analogy is flawed.

 

[CH3NO2]

He is a RINO anyway. The R beside his name is meaningless. I can only hope Charile Christ (another RINO) will nominate a real conservative that understands what it is to be a public servant and not a servant to lobbyist.

 

[titsrock]

You are mixing private sector jobs with public service. ***emphasis on SERVICE***

Your analogy is flawed.

The Emphasis remains on SERVICE. She serves the Nation now, not just the people of New York. She was qualified to become Senator of NY, and was qualified to attempt to become Pres. This is how we normally find our Presidents, btw, from within Gov't. We don't hire private sector people, thankfully...

 

[titsrock]

He is a RINO anyway. The R beside his name is meaningless. I can only hope Charile Christ (another RINO) will nominate a real conservative that understands what it is to be a public servant and not a servant to lobbyist.

Well, seeing as the Republicans turned serving Lobbyists into an artform (See Jack Abramoff and K Street Scandal for clarification), why would you assume that any Republican would not serve Lobbyists? That's what they do. They prefer to coddle to the interests of business over people. If you think otherwise, than you don't know much about the GOP:dunno:

Mel Martinez is another coward Republican in over his head and he's simply quitting early. It is strange because he was a 1st termer, but the GOP has turned into a White Power party by coddling to dumbass Rednecks like Sarah and Todd Palin, at the expense of "smart GOP people" like Romney, Guiliani, and even McCain. These elite Republicans are not in the NASCAR demographic which the GOP apparently thinks is the ticket back to power.

The more the GOP careens out of control, the better it will be for the Democrats. That is, if the Democrats would only stop trying to work with Republicans and just go about the business that they were elected for: Ending the war, creating "green jobs", etc.

 

[darkwarrior3007]

Maybe Gov. Palin and Sen. Martinez were fucking each other and they quit because they were about to be caught and they didn't want a scandal to break out!:dunno:

 

[Rey C.]

Maybe Gov. Palin and Sen. Martinez were fucking each other and they quit because they were about to be caught and they didn't want a scandal to break out!:dunno:

Yeah, I'm really curious about what the real story is here. Either there's some yet to be published pics of Martinez in a motel room with a live teenage boy or a dead teenage girl... or someone (Club For Growth maybe?) has applied some pressure on him to step aside early.

 

[CH3NO2]

Well, seeing as the Republicans turned serving Lobbyists into an artform (See Jack Abramoff and K Street Scandal for clarification), why would you assume that any Republican would not serve Lobbyists? That's what they do. They prefer to coddle to the interests of business over people. If you think otherwise, than you don't know much about the GOP:dunno:

Mel Martinez is another coward Republican in over his head and he's simply quitting early. It is strange because he was a 1st termer, but the GOP has turned into a White Power party by coddling to dumbass Rednecks like Sarah and Todd Palin, at the expense of "smart GOP people" like Romney, Guiliani, and even McCain. These elite Republicans are not in the NASCAR demographic which the GOP apparently thinks is the ticket back to power.

The more the GOP careens out of control, the better it will be for the Democrats. That is, if the Democrats would only stop trying to work with Republicans and just go about the business that they were elected for: Ending the war, creating "green jobs", etc.

Republican this Democrat that...They are all the same. They are all self absorbed politicians that serve special interest...BOTH R AND D.

We need people that are not career politicians that want to fix problems like Peter Schiff who is running for US Senate in Connecticut against Chris Dodd and Dr Rand Paul, yes Ron Paul's son who is running for US Senate in Kentucky.

The two party system has failed us because people get caught up in party politics, not what is best for America, liberty and freedom. The US Constitution is the most important document ever written and I want our elected officials to respect it and abide by it. Without it there would have never been a free man on the planet.

 

[Hot Mega]

You are mixing private sector jobs with public service. ***emphasis on SERVICE***

Your analogy is flawed.

Wrong. As if "service" is exclusive to the public domain. They are both jobs someone else hired you to perform.

All you've done is shown you see some difference but you haven't demonstrated how it matters.

There are many jobs that are considered "public service" jobs. Just how far does this extend (in your mind)??

 

[titsrock]

Republican this Democrat that...They are all the same. They are all self absorbed politicians that serve special interest...BOTH R AND D.

We need people that are not career politicians that want to fix problems like Peter Schiff who is running for US Senate in Connecticut against Chris Dodd and Dr Rand Paul, yes Ron Paul's son who is running for US Senate in Kentucky.

The two party system has failed us because people get caught up in party politics, not what is best for America, liberty and freedom. The US Constitution is the most important document ever written and I want our elected officials to respect it and abide by it. Without it there would have never been a free man on the planet.

The U.S. Constitution is not a perfect document, and it did not create a perfect political system.

There are other political parties than Donkeys and Elephants. Political Parties make it easy for people to go about their own lives and avoid having to "manage politics." I elect people to serve me and to do the things they say they will do. When they don't, I elect different people.

Dr. Ron Paul is a sham politician and it surprises me not that his son has decided to enter the same system that his father has bilked and fleeced for years.

Libertarianism is a turn backwards, not a step forwards. Only the weak go backward.:hatsoff:

 

[CH3NO2]

The U.S. Constitution is not a perfect document, and it did not create a perfect political system.

There are other political parties than Donkeys and Elephants. Political Parties make it easy for people to go about their own lives and avoid having to "manage politics." I elect people to serve me and to do the things they say they will do. When they don't, I elect different people.

Dr. Ron Paul is a sham politician and it surprises me not that his son has decided to enter the same system that his father has bilked and fleeced for years.

Libertarianism is a turn backwards, not a step forwards. Only the weak go backward.:hatsoff:

And Socialism and Big Govt is the way forward?