Former HUD Secretary Martinez Reconsiders Bid for U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON – Former U.S. Housing Secretary Mel Martinez, who resigned in early December as the 12th Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and who initially turned down requests from the White House to run for the U.S. Senate, is giving a second thought to running to fill the seat vacated by U.S. Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.). Martinez’s change of mind reportedly follows a meeting he had earlier this month with White House political operatives and strategists for the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee. He rejected earlier requests to run for the Senate seat because he said he wanted to run for Florida governor in 2006 when Gov. Jeb Bush leaves office.