5 being considered to replace Mel Martinez
Last week I mentioned the possibility of Crist picking himself or having the new governor pick him to succeed Mel Martinez as the junior senator from Florida after resigning his post as governor. More and more it seems that may never happen. But the possibility still exists… What follows is an interesting scenario of who might be the person to hold the Martinez seat until the 2010 election settles the issue once and for all. The names offered include:
Jim Smith: A former secretary of state, attorney general and democrat who became republican after losing a gubernatorial bid in 1986. Smith was seen as the odds-on favorite on Friday. A St. Petersburg Time editorial may have nailed his coffin. Still, he remains the frontrunner for the job.
Bob Martinez: Martinez was a former mayor of Tampa and governor of Florida from 1986 to 1990. He is still very much in the mix.
Allan Bense: Bense, the former speaker of the state House, is a trusted conservative from the state’s Panhandle and has been mentioned for statewide office several times before. His is the hot name at the moment in Florida political circles. He may not be chosen for the simple reason that he may want to keep the seat and all Crist is looking for is someone to keep it warm for him.
George Lemieux: Lemieux is a Crist deputy, having served as his chief of staff in the state attorney general’s office and having run Crist’s campaign for governor in 2006. Lemieux was rumored as a potential candidate for the open attorney general job in 2010 but decided against a run.
Jeb Bush: First, Bush and Crist don’t get along. There are those who say that Bush helped encourage Marco Rubio to challenge Crist in 2010 and run for Senate. Also, there’s a feeling out there that Bush doesn’t want the job, even if handed to him.
So there you have them, the five most mentioned names to replace Mel Martinez and get it ready for Crist in 2011. I still say watch out for funny business in the next few days. The governor can’t risk handing it over to someone who may end up challenging him next year — and from a position of strength.
Alvaro F. Fernandez
