I spoke with people in Gov. Charlie Crist’s administration about who is on the short list to appointed U.S. senator now that Mel Martinez is stepping down. Surprisingly Crist will not appoint himself. No one would confirm who is on the list. The St. Pete Times lists former Gov. Bob Martinez, former U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw and Daniel Webster of Winter Garden, the first Republican speaker of the Florida House since Reconstruction, as possibles (read).
When is asked if anyone from the Florida Panhandle was under consideration, I was told that Gene Valentino had called to see how he could get on the list for consideration.