Sen. Mel Martinez (R) announced at a staff meeting this morning that he will not be returning to the Senate after August recess. Martinez had already announced he would not seek reelection next year, but this resignation comes as a surprise.
The decision has an immediate and complicated impact on the Florida Senate race.
The decision adds a twist to the Florida Senate race. Gov. Charlie Crist (R-Fla.) is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, and he would be tasked with appointing a candidate to fill the seat until Martinez’s term expires in 2011.
National and Florida Republican sources say it’s near-certain that Crist will not appoint himself, and instead is expected to appoint a placeholder to fill the seat through the 2010 election.
Taking the seat now and leaving Tallahassee early would risk hurting his solid political standing, Crist allies say, and is unnecessary given his strong positioning to claim the seat next year.