Crist is facing a fairly weak primary challenge for the Republican nomination for the senate in that 2010 election. Right now, Crist is way ahead of the main challenger, Rubio, but he may feel pressure to appoint a real wing nut.
This is a lot like what Palin did. Crist had previously announced that he would not seek reelection to a second term (he was first elected in 2004). Now he is saying he'll resign as soon as a replacement can be found. He's not even serving his complete first term. The difference is that Martinez seems to be serious about quitting politics. Of course, given the recent track record of conservative Republicans, one would be forgiven for speculating that a new scandal is about to break.
When the Democrats got creamed in the Congressional elections in 1994, there was a similar wave of retirements, resignations and party switchings among Democrats. It's just no fun to be in the minority.
Crist will not appoint himself, so he has said, so he will appoint someone weak to serve for a year. Good for Dems. His departure from the Special Committee on Aging will help Dems, since he was the ranking member and a Floridian to boot, therefore interested in senior citizens' issues. Richard Shelby, from Alabama, won't care (the new ranking member).
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that he voted for Sotomayor, then quit. He could have quit last week, before the Sotomayor vote, if he had wanted to avoid it. I suspect he wanted to vote for a Latina to allow him some nice standing among Latino groups in Florida, then avoid the flak from conservatives.
At least Al Franken isn't going to be #100 in seniority anymore.
Does this mean that Franken doesn't have to wear the beanie anymore?
ReplyDeleteHe still has to do the Starbucks run because he's the most junior of his party...
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