On Mel Martinez, More Floridians Disapprove than Approve

For Immediate Release: April 10, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - More Floridians disapprove of Mel Martinez' job performance than approve. Again.

The second Quinnipiac poll since February 2007 to show Martinez failing to break even with Florida voters was released today, with 37% of Floridians disapproving of the way Martinez is handling his job as Florida's junior Senator and 36% approving.

Barely garnering a third of support from Floridians isn't anything new to Martinez. Since being ejected as chairman of the Republican National Committee following his roll in immigration reform fallout, Martinez hasn't managed much positive attention.

Despite being close to President Bush, leading the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and serving as U.S. Senator in a Republican majority, Martinez did little to protect America's homeowners. Now Florida is at the forefront of the national housing crisis, and Martinez is all but silent.

The new polling doesn't bode well for Martinez' prospects for re-election in 2010. Already pondering bowing out, the previously bigtime Bush Republican only enjoys support from 28% of independent voters.

His home turf - hometown Orange County, Central Florida and the I-4 corridor - could be his biggest problem as the people who know him best disapprove of him most - a full 41% suggesting that Martinez is not getting the job done.

"Floridians know that Mel Martinez is a rubber-stamp Bush Republican. Lately, there's been increasing evidence that he doesn't take his taxpayer-funded job seriously," Florida Democratic Party spokesman Alejandro Miyar said. "Combine those facts with polls like these and Mel Martinez could very well end up with a pink slip from voters in 2010."