Senator Martinez to step down in 2010

U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez won't seek re-election

Martinez would have been campaigning for a midterm reelection bid in a drastically different political landscape than the one in which he was first elected. His seat was widely seen as vulnerable, but Martinez rejected suggestions he faced difficult prospects in a state won last month by Democrat Barack Obama.

"Some might try to characterize this decision in terms of political affairs. Some will say a re-election campaign would have been too difficult. But I've faced much tougher odds in political campaigns and in life. My decision was not based on reelection prospects, but on what I want to do with the next eight years of my life."

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.