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Update on Mel Martinez Resignation: Jim Smith, Come on Down!

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  August 7th, 2009 at 04:38 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Word on the street in Tallahassee is that Governor Crist intends to appoint Jim Smith as Mel Martinez’s replacement.

Smith, a former Attorney General, is now a lobbyist. He’s also the Chairman of FSU.

How fitting.

He could save everyone a lot of trouble and money by just going on and putting Marco Rubio in the Senate and let him establish some seniority before he beats everyone in 2010 to get there anyway.

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COMMENTS

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  • George Claghorn

    A benchwarmer for Crist. *Nobody* saw that one coming.

  • stixxxnstones

    Maybe I’m not up on my insider Florida knowledge, but how exactly does this help Rubio? I’m not getting the FSU connection.

    Unless you’re commenting on the fact that FSU has housed a criminal organization under the disguise of a football team for more than a decade now…

  • redtillimdead

    His statement said that he wanted Crist to appoint someone as a placeholder. He wants this to truly be an open seat, like he planed to run for. “As Governor Crist considers who he will appoint as Florida’s next U.S. senator, I urge him to take great care in his selection. Florida deserves an interim senator who will go to Washington and serve as a true check on President Obama’s push for more wasteful government spending, government-run health care and cap-and-trade. The last thing Florida needs is a U.S. senator that will stand with President Obama instead of challenging the wrong direction he is leading our country and offering constructive conservative solutions moving forward.”-Marco Rubio
    Notice the words, “interim senator”.

  • Robert A. Hahn

    Brian Ballard, Jim Smith’s son-in-law, is Charlie Crist’s biggest fundraiser. Isn’t selling an open Senate seat a little too Blago-esque?

  • muffin

    the more they stay the same.

  • 10ksnooker

    That’s how I see it too.

    Crist is such a loser. A John McCain crackpot wannabee.

  • GregInFla

    Mel is a AGW believer and a cap and tax supporter, so better he leave now than come back here and face his constituency on his votes. He also voted yes for Sotomayor. What I do not know is how conservative Smith is, or how he will be voting and if he will travel the state to find out what the people think.

  • scarlos

    1. he’ll bee a full on RINO, as most of the Old-boy Crony types are nowadays. Full political patronage senator.

    2. he’ll be reasonably Conservative, to help Crist in the primary. That way, he can point to a conservative appointment and say “See? I really am a Conservative”

  • IJB

    Option #1 would go very badly for him with FL Republicans (esp. conservatives), and would serve as a rallying point for the Rubio campaign, and could allow Rubio to gain traction.

    Crist has to appoint someone who is, 1) a reliable conservative vote, and 2) very, very low-profile (e.g. like the current appointment to Biden’s DE Senate seat who is so low-profile as to be completely invisible).

  • GenEarly

    It is systemic, do not think for one minute the establishment elected elitists of the republican party have learned anything from losing to the democrats. There is very little “choice” offered between Rinos and demoncats,don’t believe me just look how Pork Rules:

    Bill Young (R) Pinellas County Florida is voting for more executive jets for congress.My email as a constituent follows:

    Just when I think you have gotten the message you can’t restrain yourself and just have to spend money we do not have. Republicans are not going to re-gain the house on pork as usual politics. Your support of more executive jets for congress hidden in the defense budget is what got you in the minority in the first place! You had the democrats in your cross hairs after they berated the bankers for their private jet travel and wanted more of the same for themselves. What hypocrites! And now you have joined them! It shows me YOU have not gotten the message:This country IS BROKE! And congress doesn’t deserve a private air fleet,along with your own private health care,retirements, etc. YOU are just a citizen, sir, grown too fat on your own pork. Maybe you should follow Martinez, do us a real favor and retire.