The Republican exodus continues: FL Senator Mel Martinez resigns before end of term

August 7, 6:33 PMTampa Headlines ExaminerDanette Pelletier

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Martinez announces his resignation in Orlando on Friday. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Call it the Palin effect.

Florida Republican Senator Mel Martinez is the latest Republican to resign before the end of his term.

With fifteen months left to go, Martinez today explained in a news conference, "There's no impending reason, it's just my desire to move on."

There's no question that political trends are changing. A new party is in power in Washington, and untimely resignations from senators and governors of both parties are becoming commonplace.

Fortunately for the state of Florida, Martinez's resignation, unlike many of the others, did not occur following allegations of impropriety, infidelity, or other misconduct. It does, however, create an unusual scenario for Governor Charlie Crist. Martinez announced in December that he would not run for re-election following nearly 12 years of public service.

That's where it gets interesting. Since Martinez will not complete his term, Governor Crist must select a replacement for him. Crist happens to be running for that very same Senate seat. Crist has said he would not appoint himself to replace Martinez, although he has the power as governor to do so.

Crist is expected to choose another Republican in order to maintain the balance of power in the Senate, where Democrats currently control the 60 seats required to overcome Republican filibusters. Many insiders speculate former governor and Tampa native Bob Martinez (no relation) could be a good choice. Bob Martinez is well-known to Floridians and loyal to the party, and since Bob Martinez is also Hispanic, he would be a fitting replacement for Mel Martinez, who is currently the only Hispanic member of the Senate. 

Others feel that a woman or younger, more popular minority candidate could be in order, believing that a move toward diversity could help the floundering Republican party, which has historically struggled to connect with minority voters.

Crist is expected to make a decision within the next few weeks. As for Mel Martinez, he indicated a future career in the private sector, but said he has "no specific plans for the future."