Florida Senator Mel Martinez says "No" to second term

Senator Mel Martinez is one and done.  The junior Senator from Florida has decided not to run for re-election in 2010.

The Senator sounded like a professional athlete when announcing his retirement stating that he wanted to spend more time with his friends and family.

The election is just under two years away so there is plenty of time for Martinez to pull a Brett Favre and unretire.  But for today, it sounds final.

“I make this announcement today in order to give the many qualified individuals who might choose to try to succeed me an opportunity to organize and gather support,” Martinez said in a press release.

“My decision was not based on re-election prospects, but on what I want to do with the next eight years of my life,” he said.

No fun 

A friend of Martinez speculated, however, that there may be more to the decision than he's letting on to.  Lew Oliver, chairman of the Orange County Republican Party, told the New York Times that being a Republican in Washington, DC right now just isn't a lot of fun.

“It’s just no fun to be in the minority in D.C. when the other party controls the White House,” Oliver said. “The number of interesting, important and meaning things to do dwindles fast.”

Holiday love

Florida's other senator, Bill Nelson (a Democrat), did not indicate who he would support to replace Martinez.  In the holiday spirit (unlike the banned Christmas tree ornament issue going on in Washington state), the senior Senator had nice things to say about his colleague.

''Mel has been a good friend, a good Senate colleague, and a good public servant, and I wish him well in the future,'' Nelson said.

Don't let the door hit ya

So with Martinez out the speculation as to who will fill his seat immediately begins.

On the Republican side, Jeb Bush could be a possibility.  Of course, Attorney General Bill McCollum is sure to be talked about as well.

On the Democratic side, Politico is reporting that Florida's Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink is not going to run for the seat.  Although she made this declaration before Martinez announced his decision.  So perhaps this development could get her interested after all.

Representatives Ron Klein and Alan Boyd are early potentials as well.

Here's the full statement by Martinez...

Statement by Florida Republican Sen. Mel Martinez, Dec. 2, 2008:

If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it is that life can have many wonderful detours from where you think you’re going.  These result from chance, adversity, and a call to duty.

As a teenager growing up in Cuba, I saw comfort and the rule of law replaced by tyranny and communist oppression. I saw people beaten for practicing their faith. I remember those who spoke out vanishing -– never to be seen again.

My parents, with the help of the Catholic Church, sent me here, to the United States –- a place to be safe until we could be reunited.

It was here that I learned the greatness of this country -– and the genuine goodness of the American people. I lived with two foster families –- good, decent, loving people who answered a call from the pulpit one Sunday to take in a boy they did not know, from a country they had never seen, who spoke a language they did not understand.

I thank God for the Young and Berkmeyer families. They helped me understand what it means to be American –- what it is to aspire to live the American dream -– and the profound virtue of giving back to your community.

After four years I was reunited with my family. I went to college and law school. I met the woman who would become my best friend, my partner and counsel. Kitty and I settled in Orlando – my only true home after I left Cuba.

We started a family, sent our two older children, Lauren and John, to Bishop Moore High School –- the same school I attended –- and where our younger son, Andrew, started as a freshman this year. Orlando is where I built a law practice, and where I was encouraged to become an active member of this vibrant and growing community.

After years of involvement in numerous community organizations and boards and with encouragement from many friends, I threw my hat into the political ring, running for Orange County Mayor.

"What an honor it would be,” I thought, “to serve as Mayor of the community that took me in.” It was a race where I started in last place. Pundits openly wondered whether a Hispanic could be elected Orange County Mayor at a time when only 5% of the registered voters in our county were Hispanic.

So in November of 1998 I began my term believing that after four -– or maybe eight years at most –- I would return to the private sector. Neither my family nor I had planned or hoped for anything different.

You all know that one thing led to another. From Mayor, I went to serve in the President’s Cabinet. From there, I made the run for U.S. Senate. Again, I started in last place, ran against an impressive field of candidates who had the resources and statewide recognition that should have ended my run early on.

Those who volunteered with me knew the odds were against us; no other office holder had been elected on their first statewide run.

But we persevered. We proved the American Dream is alive and well, especially when an immigrant arriving here with nothing can one day be elected to serve in the United States Senate.

The Senate is the only federal office carrying a six-year term, so a decision about whether to run for re-election is one that my family and I have carefully considered over the past year.

It was a question that came to mind as I wrote my book –- causing me to reflect on the path I’ve chosen, and to think about, with love and gratitude, those who’ve traveled with me.

The inescapable truth, for me, is that the call to public service is strong, but the call to home, family and lifelong friends is even stronger.

So today, with deep love for this country and with sincere gratitude to the people who placed their trust in me, I announce that I will not run for reelection to the United States Senate.

I thank all of those who helped me reach the highest elected office that an immigrant can hold in this great country. And I especially thank my family, who has supported me every step of the way -– especially Kitty, who has sacrificed much more than me and without whom none of this would have been possible.

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.

The thought of devoting more time to my roles as husband, dad, granddad, brother and son to the family I love and cherish, and to be “Mel” to the friends I miss -– makes this decision far easier than one might think.

So with two years left in my term, I make this announcement today in order to give the many qualified individuals who might choose to try to succeed me an opportunity to organize and gather support.

I look forward to serving out these next two years. There are big problems facing Florida and the nation, and I will continue to do what I think is in the best interests of the people whom I represent.

Thank you; God bless you; and God Bless the United States of America.”