One of the coolest things about Public Policy Polling is that they periodically ask their readers to submit names of possible candidates to test in 2010 Senate match-up polls. Over at their blog, PPP is asking for names to test against GOP crumb-bum Sen. Mel Martinez in a new poll to be conducted later this week.
Last month, they matched up Martinez with Florida CFO Alex Sink and Congressman Robert Wexler, and found the incumbent Senator’s numbers lagging. If you feel so inclined, I suggest dropping them a card and leaving the names of candidates you’d like to see tested against Martinez.
Personally, I’d be inclined to line up Martinez against Reps. Ron Klein and Kathy Castor, but you’re encouraged to put forth your own suggestions.
He’s probably the second best pick after Sink. Sadly our bench in FL is about an inch deep. Hopefully that will change afer 2008.
I wouldn’t be suprised to see him primaried from the right in 2010, as he seems to be one of the hard core conservatives least favorite Republicans.
As much as I like Klein (full disclosure – worked on his field staff in 06), I’d rather see him build seniority in the House and get stuff done.
The FL bench is so thin… if not Alex Sink, what about 06 Gov Candidate Rod Smith? To win statewide you need someone who ‘gets’ North/Central FL.
governor Jim Davis?
Klein, Wexler, and newly-elected Castor would all have a hard time winning Florida. You need a moderate Democrat and someone from the 1-4 corridor, coincidentally both Martinez and Nelson are from Orlando. So who has the best chance:
– CFO Alex Sink (Wife of former Governor nominee Bill McBride)
– Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer (a moderate who beat the Bush machine and WON)
– Former Tampa Mayor Dick Greco (a popular mayor, yet with two drawbacks: age and he’s Florida’s version of Lieberman, constantly supporting Republicans).
– Former Miami-Dade mayor Alex Penelas (another Cuban, fairly young, and he will cancel Martinez’s Cuban vote).
Shaquille O’Neal. That would be amusing.
Sorry to inform you all, but Florida is one of two states moving more to the Republican side (West Virginia is the other). However, more states are moving toward Democrats:
Colorado
Iowa
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
Ohio
Virginia
Of course, we can include those toss-up states, which I never felt ever left Democrats anyways:
Michigan
Minnesota
Pennsylvania
Wisconsin
And, the soon to be state’s moving more and more Democratic:
Arizona
Texas
The GOP will soon be the party of the South, appropriately so.
1) Alex Sink
2) Ron Klein
3) Robert Wexler
4) Allen Boyd, Jr.
5) Bob Graham
I like Alex Sink and Ron Klein as mainstream Dems. A poll of Wexler’s chances would show the potential for a progressive candidate. A poll of Boyd would show the chance for a conservative member.
I would be interested to see Bob Graham just for shits and giggles. I mean the guy ran for Prez only four years ago. Lautenberg came out of retirement at 76. Why not Graham at 65?
I definitely think Alex Sink, Ron Klein and Bob Graham have the best chances. Ron Klein has an impressive resume and Sink is a hands down favorite. I’m interested in Allen Boyd, Jr.’s showing also. I’d rather have a Senator Boyd than a Senator Martinez.
On a side note, Martinez is the only GOP Senator who isn’t white. If we could get rid of him, the GOP would lack any racial diversity (at least in the Senate).
-Another run by Betty Castor. I wonder if she’d win if she ran again.
Super unlikely but if Joe Garcia gets elected it might be good to have a CubanAmerican beat Martinez and change all four of the last Hispanic Republicans to Hispanic Democrats.-Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio
-Florida House of Representatives Democratic Leader Dan Gelber who is running for State Senate currently.
Personally, I think that Debbie Wasserman-Schultz would be the best candidate to face Mel MArtinez. Granted, she used to be my congresswomen bu, in my opinion at least, her positves outweigh the negatives. She supported Clinton in the primary (WExler’s primary mistake) and fought for Florida’s delegates to be seated. She also has clout as a deputy house whip. While she is a bit liberal for Florida, she is not NEARLY as bad as WExler.
Is that we have next to no moderate Dems elected. The 2002 gerrymander effectively made it so that the vast majority of our state reps are ultra-liberals who represent D+15 PVI or higher districts.
That did change a bit in 2006 with Mahoney and Klein winning. Hopefully that will change even more if we topple a few of the following this year: Feeney, Keller, Buchanan and the south FL Cuban-American majority reps.
Hopefully, Democrats can coalesce around one candidate (Sink?) and avoid a primary. Sometimes primaries can be good, but Florida’s is in late August, which gives the nominee only a very short time to raise $ for the general.
Because Smith refused to go on the sameticket, creating a strong, central nad northern florida base ticket, with millions of dollars cash on hand, he forced a primary instead. The mans reprehinsible record on big sugar and pollution led that industry to spend something like five million to overcome Smith’s shortcomings in the fundraising department. So, Davis was bankrupted by a late primary, and Crist had some seven to nine million dollars to spend, and ended up winning his primary in a landslide, giving him allthe mo late in the campaign. Not to mention Crist ran as moderate. Davis didn’t lose handily, by like eight to ten points I remember, which wasn’t bad considering everything against him, including Crist’s name recognition. I don’t, I just saw FL Democrats shot themselves in the foot in FL-Gov election. That being said, Karen Thurman might have been a better candidate.
Alex Sink and Castor the Younger. Partly because I’d like to see 2010 be a great banner year for women Senate candidates, but I also think these two would be among our best bets. Especially Sink.
I don’t see why we don’t pull a repeat candidate like we did in New Hampshire and get Castor to run again. She was a strong candidate then and she;d make a strong candidate now. Does anyone know if she has any interest.
Though I do agree that if Bob Graham could be talked out of retirement, he would be the candidate to go for.
Judd Gregg against Rep. Paul Hodes.
or against Stonyfield Yogurt CEO Gary Hirshberg, or Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand. Or Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, or Gov. John Lynch, etc, etc…
Sununu’s fun to watch flail around, but Gregg’s unrepentant record is atrocious. And it’s altogether possible he will be all alone in a sea of New England blue come November.