Florida Sen. Martinez to Resign: Insiders

(NEWSER) - Florida's GOP Gov. Charlie Crist is mulling a 2010 Senate run that would put him within range of the Oval Office in 2012, the Washington Post reports. But he faces a crowded field when one-term Sen. Mel Martinez steps down: A host of state lawmakers have tossed in their hats since Jeb Bush and a top state Democrat declined to run. Whatever he decides, Crist will announce after the legislative session ends in May, sources said. More»

Says it's a ploy by rival Marco Rubio

(NEWSER) - The merry-go-round of accusations continues in the Senate race in Florida between Republican Gov. Charlie Crist and his more-conservative rival, Marco Rubio. In the latest, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel is reporting that Crist is ready to ditch the GOP to run as an independent. A Crist spokesman immediately denounced it as a fake story planted by the Rubio camp as retaliation and an attempt to "distract voters," notes Talking Points Memo . More»

LeMieux is the Florida governor's former chief of staff

(NEWSER) - Florida Governor Charlie Crist has appointed his former campaign manager and chief of staff to fill the Senate seat of Mel Martinez, MSNBC reports. George LeMieux will represent the state until next year's election, when Crist himself will vie for the GOP nod. “George is bright, capable, and an accomplished administrator," Martinez says. Dems have a dimmer view: “Charlie Crist came as close as he could to appointing himself to this position,” says the party's Senatorial Campaign Committee. More»

Phone records reveal chats with Cheney, Giuliani

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin spoke to several top Republicans in the weeks before her resignation, ABC News reports. An open-records request finds that in May, Palin was on the phone to Dick Cheney, Rudy Giuliani, and Charlie Crist, among others. A spokeswoman said that Cheney had been talking about an upcoming vacation in Alaska. Palin's office declined to comment on the conversations. More»

(NEWSER) - Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is, indeed, planning to run for the Senate in 2010, the Miami Herald reports, and will announce his candidacy at a “low key” event tomorrow in Tallahassee. “He loves being governor,” says his former chief-of-staff, “but he also realizes that Florida’s problems have become national problems.” More»