Floridans just don't like Mel

Via The Politico, "Democrats Smell Blood in Florida":

The 2010 Senate election cycle has barely started, but the Democrats’ top target has already emerged: Republican Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida.

His popularity is sagging due to his long-standing ties to President George W. Bush, his high-profile advocacy for immigration reform that alienated conservatives, and his tumultuous nine-month stint last year as chairman of the Republican National Committee, which did little to burnish his image, either within his own party or among independents and Democrats.

A November Quinnipiac poll showed a 38 percent plurality of Florida voters believe Martinez doesn’t deserve another term, while only 36 percent believe he should be reelected. Against an unnamed Democratic opponent, Martinez trails by 4 points, 40 percent to 36 percent.