Martinez gains support of GOP senate campaign head

[Freddie Stubbs]

By Larry Lipman, Palm Beach Post-Washington Bureau
Tuesday, June 8, 2004



WASHINGTON -- Mel Martinez, showcasing his support among Washington political insiders, received the endorsement Monday of U.S. Sen. George Allen, R-Va.

Allen, head of the Republican National Senatorial Committee, stressed that he was not endorsing Martinez in his capacity as the chairman of the organization, which recruits and supports GOP senatorial candidates. But his announcement reaffirmed the impression that Martinez is the favorite among national Republican leaders in the party's eight-way Aug. 31 primary in Florida. The winner will face the winner of the four-way Democratic primary to fill the seat of retiring Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla.

Meeting with reporters at the Ronald Reagan Republican Center, Allen repeatedly described Martinez as "a true, common-sense conservative," who would support President Bush's efforts to make recent tax cuts permanent, oppose partial birth-abortions, confirm federal judges and support the war on terrorism.

Martinez, who is scheduled to attend an Allen fund-raiser Tuesday as well as meet with several political action committees, said Allen's endorsement -- on top of those by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and several other GOP senators -- is an indication that Republicans are "coalescing" around his candidacy.

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