[Clintonfatigued]

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.

[JohnnyZ]

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.