George LeMieux is Florida Senator: George LeMieux Replaces Mel Martinez

Florida politics are interesting, to say the least. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) announced he would be retiring early from the U.S. Senate. Governor Charlie Crist (R-FL) announced he will not run for Governor next time around; rather he wants to be Florida's next Senator.

George LeMieux
 

With Martinez' departure, Crist was forced to name a replacement for the Martinez senate seat. Who do you name to the senate seat that you want to fill just one year from now. Obviously you name someone you can trust, someone you know will not be tempted to continue attending the senate. In this case, Crist appointed attorney, best friend and former Crist Chief of Staff and 2006-Crist campaign manager, George LeMieux, who has recently been in private law practice. LeMieux resigned chairmanship of the firm of Gunster Yoakley & Stewart to take the senate seat. Here's the Florida Democrat Party official reaction:

Today, Charlie Crist decided to play political games with the public's trust by appointing George LeMiuex to the U.S. Senate. This glaring example of political cronyism is the last thing Florida needed while we face these tough economic times and the Congress is tackling critical issues such as health insurance reform and global warming.

He, he, he! Love it, love it, love it! Putting on my serious face, can Charlie Crist actually appoint a Republican to a senate seat? Yes he can. Bet you thought only Democrats can get an appointment (just kidding - it seems these days, there is no way for a Republican to win a seat - until...maybe 2010).

Democrat Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts just appointed Paul G. Kirk to take Ted Kennedy's seat. Kirk has never held elective office, but in the Boston-way, the Kennedy-way, he is considered "a quiet fixer," and a "trusted adviser of the Kennedy clan."

According to this story, although Kirk has never served as a public official, he is considered "comfortable working in the shadows...a savvy, adroit deal maker who has grappled with some of the most emotional rifts in Democratic party politics." Hmmmm.

It pains me to see to a seat-holder for Charlie Crist, however. The RNC is backing Crist, but as we know, Crist is no conservative. The man even attended a Florida Townhall with Obama in February to support the President's stimulus. How disgusting is that?  

Crist is seen as the "sure thing" for the Martinez seat, after Democrats had visions of putting their own into the august body when Martinez left. The vision didn't include Crist's decision to leave the Governor's office, so now Democrats are sullen. I want a Republican in the senate from the state of Florida, but I want Marco Rubio, not Charlie Crist. I'm not a Florida voter (I don't have a beach house, so can't vote as so many Florida snowbirds are said to do). I have no say, but I believe Charlie Crist has the potential to be another Arlen Specter at worst, and at best another Olympia Snow. He is milk-toast. Rubio is a strong contender, but he doesn't have the RNC behind him. It's a shame because Marco Rubio, a former Florida State House Speaker could be a great, conservative senator holding to small government and lower taxes:

A fluently bilingual 37-year-old Cuban-American evangelical from a blue-collar immigrant background with an ex-cheerleader wife, four children, a deep belief in the healing power of tax cuts, and square-jawed all-American looks, Rubio is a caricature of the ideal 21st-century Republican. With possible behind-the-scenes support from Jeb Bush, Rubio is planning a scorched-earth campaign against Crist as a firebrand conservative standing against the forces of big-government RINOism.

My bet is that Jeb Bush will not support Rubio - just a guess, but the very conservative senate hero, Senator Jim DeMint, IS already endorsing Rubio. The danger, of course, is that Florida splits the vote and sends a Democrat to Washington, D.C. This coming race causes me a lot of angst. I don't like RINO's. I don't want a RINO in the Senate. I hope Floridians vote their values and their principles and try to send Marco Rubio to the Capitol. If the Democrat contender wins, so be it. There are far worse things than trying to do the right thing.

The video below is Mr. Rubio speaking with Laura Ingraham just a few days ago.

 Marco Rubio - Can he win George LeMieux' Seat?  Read a Marco Rubio biography here.

More on Paul Kirk at Blog@MoreWhat. It is striking what WE DO NOT KNOW about our government officials. Please read this blog and click the orange text to read the rest of the story of Obama government corruption.