Cuban-American Is Likely GOP Senate Candidate in Florida (Martinez)

[Nambe]

MIAMI (Reuters)

President Bush's former housing secretary, Mel Martinez, took a surprise lead in a ballot in Florida on Tuesday to pick the Republican party's candidate for a keenly sought U.S. Senate seat.

With 54 percent of votes counted in a primary election seen as a test of Florida's ability to put the vote- counting fiasco of 2000 behind it, Martinez led fellow Republican Bill McCollum, a former congressman, by 42 percent to 33 percent, the Florida Department of State said on its Web site.

On the other side of the electoral divide, voters registered with the Democratic party overwhelmingly picked former Florida education commissioner Betty Castor to be their candidate for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Bob Graham in November.

Bush's Republicans have 51 of the 100 Senate seats, and Graham's seat is considered important in the battle for legislative power, whoever wins the presidential vote. ..


Click to sign “God is not a republican” letter.

[struggle4progress]

1. Ain't he one a them trial lawyers? eom