Florida Senator Mel Martinez To Resign

h/t to MJ for sending the tip.

Intriguing news today:

Florida Sen. Mel Martinez (R), who had previously announced he would not seek re-election in 2010, has now decided to resign his seat — a move that will allow Gov. Charlie Crist (R) to appoint a replacement to fill the remaining months of Martinez’s term, according to a source familiar with the decision.

The Martinez news, which was first reported by CNN, throws a fascinating wrinkle into the open seat race to replace Martinez.

Crist, as the sitting governor, has the power to appoint a replacement for Martinez — a task complicated by the fact that he is seeking the same Senate seat in 2010. Crist could, theoretically, appoint himself but that seems unlikely as it could spark a voter backlash in a race that Crist is strongly favored to win.

This is quite interesting. I get the feeling that Sen. Martinez is quite fed up with politics. It’s been reported that he stayed long enough to vote for Sonia Sotomayor.

I wonder how this will effect the health care reform deal? Will the Crist appointment (himself or a caretaker) be a pro-reformer? If one doesn’t worry about appealing to the wingnut masses he or she may be free to vote their conscience.