Martinez’s entry fuels Senate race speculation

The likely entrance of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez into Florida’s U.S. Senate race has unleashed a flood of speculation about relations among the White House, Gov. Jeb Bush and the current field of GOP Senate contenders.

Martinez is reportedly being urged to run by Washington activists and top-level staff worried that the current crop of GOP candidates is too conservative to win a general election.

Fueling the speculation, President Bush spoke warmly of Martinez, who was with him in Orlando on Thursday.

But many people are reading signals that Jeb Bush, who is not endorsing anybody, has an affinity for state Sen. Dan Webster, R-Orlando.

Presidential adviser Karl Rove tried to persuade Martinez to run for Senate last summer, but Martinez then ruled it out.

Reports broke late Wednesday, however, that Martinez, formerly Orange County (Orlando) chairman, is reconsidering.

That came on the heels of U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris, R-Sarasota, saying last weekend she might run.

Many Republicans worried for months that Harris might jump in, to the dismay of candidates and party leaders who don’t relish seeing her standing on the same platform as the president or other Republicans during campaign season. She’s simply too polarizing.

The re-entry of Martinez was viewed by some as at least a clear message from Washington to Harris that she’s not needed.

Former U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum, who’s running again after losing the Senate race to Democrat Bill Nelson in 2000, sent out three press releases in quick succession, featuring various Hispanic leaders and former U.S. Sen. Connie Mack reiterating their support for McCollum.

his list of Hispanic House members who provided the speaker — who decides whether their bills or projects live or die — with endorsements.

Webster, who was in Fort Myers on Friday to tour the Edison home — he helped get a $3 million allocation in the state budget for repair work at the attraction — confirmed that Jeb Bush called him personally Thursday to offer encouragement.

Given the Martinez entry, Webster said, “I had some questions if there was a message somewhere that I was supposed to get. But he said ‘no.’ ”

Jeb Bush did offer him some advice: “he told me to go full forward as hard as I can,” Webster said. “And I intend to do that. This race has to be earned.”

Webster points out he got in the Senate race expecting that U.S. Sen. Bob Graham would be the Democratic nominee — a scenario that deterred others until Graham announced his retirement.

Martinez also was eying the Florida governor’s race in 2006. But the Palm Beach Post reported he more recently decided CFO Tom Gallagher has most major backers already committed.

“I’m not running for the Senate as a stepping stone to some other office, or as a consolation prize,” Webster said Friday, in an apparent reference to Martinez. “I’m running, and I’ve been running all along, to be a leader for Florida in the U.S. Senate.”

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While the Republican Senate field roils, Democratic Senate candidate Betty Castor — a former Florida Education Commissioner and University of South Florida president — will be in Fort Myers at noon today.

She’s speaking at a fund-raiser with the Democratic Club of the Islands at the Helm Club at the Landings on McGregor Boulevard near the Cape Coral Bridge.

It’s too late to sign up for lunch, but few candidates have been known to turn away potential supporters who want to talk and perhaps offer a campaign donation.

According to one of The Hill's people on TV, JEB was quite put out that the White House encouraged Martinez to enter the race prior to their getting JEB's advance blessing for the idea. IMHO, the White House and JEB should leave well enough alone and let the primary process work. I can support whichever Republican candidate gets the nomination but I don't appreciate any arrogant, and counterproductive, decisions as to who that candidate will be.

As I think you know, I believe the Republican Party of Florida succeeds in spite of itself and that JEB has been anything but helpful. The less JEB and the RPOF micromanage the better off they'll be.

I can understand national Republicans encouraging Mel Martinez into the Senate race. He has excellent credentials. But a reluctant candidate can sometimes turn out to be an ineffective candidate. Does anyone remember ex-Pennsylvania Governor Richard Thornburg in the 1991 special election? Also, the author shows his bias when he says that the White House considers the Senate field too conservative. The problem is that the candidates are too little-known and underfunded. State Senator Daniel Webster, who would make an outstanding U.S. Senator, has only $170,000 cash-on-hand. State House Speaker Johnnie Byrd has only $734,000. Ex-Congressman Bill McCollum, who's been in the race the longest, has only $334,000 on hand. And Pinellas County Commissioner Barbara Sheen Todd hasn't gotten her campaign started yet. Republicans need to rally around one candidate, preferably Webster.

Martinez also was eying the Florida governor’s race in 2006. But the Palm Beach Post reported he more recently decided CFO Tom Gallagher has most major backers already committed.

Call me cynical, but I don't think Martinez ever really thought that an executive position would suit him best. The Gov race was just the most attractive race because it was an open seat. But now that the senate seat is open and things aren't looking so good for the gov primary, he's down to Senate in 2004 or Senate in 2006, and again the open seat is the more attractive.

So I really don't think he's reluctant at all.

You may be right. But before being H.U.D. Secretary, Martinez was elected Chairman of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, which is elected county-wide and has responsibilities similar to a county executive. Doesn't that count as executive experience?

It is executive experience, as is his cabinet post. But just because he has done the one doesn't mean he's better suited to it than the other. Although governorships has been the Hot Thing recently in the political world.

Martinez will make a good candidate. Harris should challenge Bill Nelson in 2006 when she has two terms in the House. Nelson is in trouble in Florida no matter who runs. He got lucky against McCollum in 2000 who ran a horrible campaign. I say Harris 2006.

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