In a surprise move,  Florida GOP Senator Mel Martinez announced his resignation last week, effective as soon as Governor Charlie Crist appoints a replacement for the last 16 months of the term.
Why Martinez resigned is not known, but Crist made clear that he would not appoint himself to the seat, despite the fact that he is seeking to replace Martinez in the Senate via the 2010 election.
Instead, speculation has centered on former GOP one term Governor Bob Martinez (no relation) who served from 1986-1990, and has been out of politics since. It is evident that he has no ambition for political office again, and therefore is an excellent choice to fill out the unexpired term.
Some speculation has centered around another former Governor, Jeb Bush, but it is doubtful he would even consider such a temporary position, although a school of thought is that even serving for a short time in the Senate would polish up Bush’s resume, were he to wish to seek the Presidency. Within a few weeks, we shall see what transpires.