It was fun while it lasted:
U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart withdrew his name for consideration to replace U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez this evening.
Diaz-Balart issued a statement this evening saying he told Gov. Charlie Crist to remove him from the short list of three to fill in for Martinez until next year’s November election.
“I have informed Governor Charlie Crist this evening that I will not be submitting the Questionnaire for appointment to the Senate he kindly asked me to consider submitting. It was a great honor to be considered by Governor Crist for appointment to the United States Senate. […]”
So much for that game of political pinball that Charlie Crist was supposedly angling to rig. In other Senate appointment news, Crist is set to meet with Bobby Martinez (the former U.S. Attorney, not the ex-Governor) today, who some speculate is the real leading candidate for the appointment.