Oh Boyd!
Rep. Allen Boyd (D), the latest FL pol to release a statement responding to Sen. Mel Martinez's (R-FL) decision to retire in '10, devoted exactly one sentence to Martinez before highlighting his qualifications for the job and mentioning that he could jump into the race.
"I want to join my fellow Floridians in thanking Senator Martinez for his service," the Blue Dog Democrat said. "I am a fifth generation Floridian with deep roots in the state, and I want to see the state I love and my fellow Floridians thrive. Right now, our state and our nation are experiencing challenging times. President-elect Obama and Senator Bill Nelson will need a strong, steady partner in the U.S. Senate. We need aggressive, bipartisan solutions to the economic, domestic, and foreign policy challenges that face the country."
"I have been considering a run for the U.S. Senate in 2010, prior to Sen. Martinez's announcement today. I will continue to discuss the race with state and national party leaders and with my supporters in North Florida and throughout the state. Most importantly, I'll talk about this with my family, and I expect we'll make a final decision very early next year."
With over $1.3M CoH, Boyd has the third-largest war chest of any FL House member, trailing only Reps. Cliff Stearns (R) with $2.4M and Ron Klein (D) with $1.8M. Boyd has maintained a solidly moderate voting record in the House, and in 2006 he actually received a higher rating from the ACU (63) than he did from the ADA (50). Over the past few years, National Journal rates him as voting the liberal line roughly 55% of time, fairly low for a House Dem.
Much of the cash Boyd maintains was actually raised in 2003 for a possible 2004 Senate bid, although he ultimately didn't run, deferring to a former statewide office holder (Betty Castor) and his more senior House colleague (Peter Deutsch). But his interest in a Senate seat is clear, and with a good starter war chest and a moderate voting record, he could well be a strong nominee (though certainly vulnerable to a primary challenge from the left). Moreover, Boyd's House seat could be a GOP pick-up opportunity, as it was twice won by Pres. Bush with 53% and 54% and has a Cook PVI of R+2.
Join the Discussion
The National Journal Group has the right (but not the obligation) to monitor the comments and to remove any materials it deems inappropriate.
Comments powered by Disqus