Report: Martinez Could Leave Senate Early — Could Crist Get In?

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Are in for some real political fireworks in Florida?

Roll Call reports that lame-duck Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) is considering an early resignation, rather than serve out the rest of his term through 2010. Meanwhile, the potential Republican field is all waiting on word from Governor Charlie Crist, who is said to be seriously considering a run.

The rub here is that Crist might then be presented with the opportunity appoint himself to the seat – either doing it directly or by resigning and having his Lt. Governor do the job for him — which sounds just a little too good to be true. The history of governors appointing themselves to the Senate is almost entirely negative. The last person to do this was Governor-turned-Senator Wendell Anderson (D-MN), whose move into Walter Mondale’s Senate seat in December 1976 resulted in a Republican landslide all across Minnesota in 1978.

If Martinez does end up deciding that he’d like to leave the Senate early, Crist would be well-advised to pick someone else to keep the seat warm.

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