What if Martinez resigns and Crist becomes U.S. Senator?

What if Mel Martinez resigns later this month? He is then followed by a Florida Governor Charlie Crist resignation, making Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp the new governor of Florida.

Kottkamp must then name the senator to fill-in for Martinez until 2011. What if that person becomes Charlie Crist, who just happens to be running for the seat Martinez was supposed to vacate at the end of next year?

There’s more… If Kottkamp becomes governor of Florida then he would suddenly become a force to be reckoned with if he decided to seek reelection, a seat Crist had announced he would be vacating since he prefers the calmer atmosphere of the U.S. Senate. As of now, democrat Alex Sink leads in the polls to replace Crist — which worries republicans for a host of reasons.

Mere speculation, I know, but something to keep our eyes on. In this screwy world of Florida politics anything is possible.

What follows is the news that has been confirmed:

By now most know that Florida Sen. Mel Martinez will be resigning, probably by the end of this month. He made the announcement at a morning staff meeting.

Martinez had announced he wasn’t seeking reelection to the Senate last December, but he had insisted that he would be serving out the remainder of his term, which expires in 2011.

Sen. Martinez has been rumored to be interested in the presidential opening at Florida State University (FSU), but has denied the speculation. The position is currently open — FSU president T.K. Wetherell announced he was stepping down earlier in the summer.

The Martinez decision adds a twist to the Florida senate race. If the election to replace Martinez were held today, Florida Governor Charlie Crist would easily win, according to all the polls. Interestingly, with this latest move, it is Crist who is responsible for appointing the Martinez successor until the term expires.

Alvaro F. Fernandez