Thread: 'Aye' On Immigration Bill Jolts Sen. Martinez In Polls

'Aye' On Immigration Bill Jolts Sen. Martinez In Polls
By WILLIAM MARCH The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jul 20, 2007


TAMPA - After the immigration reform bill he backed was defeated in June, U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez lamented, "I think we can now add immigration reform to the list of third rails of politics, like Social Security."

He meant that the issue, like the electrified rail of a subway track, is politically fatal to touch. Presidential candidate John McCain, the chief Republican backer of the reform bill, has seen his campaign significantly hurt by opposition to the bill.

Although some in the conservative Republican base are disaffected with Martinez over immigration, at least temporarily, the damage probably is limited, political experts say.

That's because it will be more than two years before Martinez will face re-election, in 2010, plenty of time for him to associate his name with other issues on which voters will judge him. And most voters won't judge him on just a single issue.

Martinez has rejected the idea that backing the immigration bill, which critics stigmatized as an "amnesty" bill, caused him any political damage.

He didn't go unscathed, though.

A poll done at the time of the vote last month showed approval of him among Florida voters descending to a surprisingly low 23 percent; another poll out this week looked better but still not good - 38 percent of the respondents disapproved of his performance in office, and 36 percent approved.

A disaffected supporter has started a petition drive to recall him. The Florida Democratic Party churned out a news release on the poll numbers, and party Chairwoman Karen Thurman pronounces Martinez "in real trouble."

A couple of bad polls in mid-2007, however, have "little or no" significance to Martinez's re-election prospects in 2010, University of Florida political scientist Stephen Craig said.

"I have a hard time believing the issue is impacting him substantially outside the pretty small ranks of those who pay close attention to legislative details," Craig said.

Further, he said, polls asking voters whether they approve or disapprove of an officeholder don't necessarily show how they'll vote when that officeholder is matched against a specific opponent.

The immigration battle "could come back to hurt Martinez during the campaign," depending on whether it's still controversial then and how his opponents use it, Craig said.

"But what do these numbers say right now? Not much."

A Matter Of Principle, He Says
Martinez said the stance he took on immigration reform was one he had to take based on principles, regardless of political fallout.

"I didn't go to the Senate for eternal perpetuity in office. I went to the Senate to try to do something and to tackle tough issues," he told a group of reporters shortly after the vote. "If I, as the only immigrant in the Senate, was to sit out this debate on immigration, why would I be in the Senate in the first place?"

Still, if Martinez burned his fingers on the immigration bill, it raises a question of how eager he'll be to tackle other high-profile, controversial issues during the rest of his first term.

In May, he co-hosted a panel of experts at the University of South Florida that discussed the issue originally called the "third rail" of American politics: reform of entitlement programs including Social Security and Medicare.

Still hoping at the time for success on the immigration bill, Martinez expressed no fear of grasping two electric issues at once.

"We have no choice but to touch it," he said of entitlement reform. "These programs are weak and worsening over the last year. It's time we did something about it."

Martinez didn't return calls to comment for this story, but media spokesman Ken Lundberg said the immigration battle "does not affect his wish that entitlement reform come before the Congress. Members are elected to &hellip undertake all issues, including those most controversial, complex and difficult."

State Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer said Martinez has not been affected politically by the controversy. He said Martinez "has demonstrated that he is a principled leader, and I believe being such will be recognized by the voters, and it will not affect his re-election."

But some fellow Republican leaders have criticized Martinez over the issue.

U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, who opposed the immigration bill, said in a news release that she was "disappointed to see that both Florida Senators voted to continue efforts to pass the largest amnesty legislation in American history."

Martinez and other proponents of the bill denied repeatedly that it amounted to amnesty and said polling indicates most Florida residents favor the bill's approach.

The Numbers Aren't Good
Still, Martinez got only 23 percent approval in an InsiderAdvantage poll completed June 28, the day of the immigration vote. Thirty-four percent disapproved, and 30 percent said "don't know."

Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson got 44 percent approval in that poll.

Quinnipiac University polls, meanwhile, showed Martinez's approval dropping from 48 percent in February to 37 percent June 7, just before the immigration vote. A Quinnipiac poll released Thursday showed his approval at 36 percent, with 38 percent disapproval.

In that poll, Nelson got 47 percent approval and 26 percent disapproval.

Matt Towery, a prominent Georgia Republican who founded the InsiderAdvantage polling and electronic publishing firm, said it is "absolutely correct" that a single poll proves little about Martinez's re-election prospects.

"There's a lot of time for the political sands to shift," he said. "On the other hand, to go that low is an indication of something that people in Washington don't get. A poll is just a moment in time, but it's a moment in which [the bill's supporters] were out of touch with their own constituents in a big way."

Craig, of UF, said the high "undecided" category in the poll indicates that most people aren't paying close attention to the legislative details of the issue.

But one who was paying attention is Dewey Wallace, an Orlando computer technician who started a Web site seeking petition signatures to remove Martinez from office.

The prospects of success are slim: Florida doesn't have a legal mechanism for petitioning to recall a senator. But Wallace claims he's got more than 4,700 signatures.

"I respect the senator. He's done a lot of good things for Florida, but I think he is tragically wrong on this issue," said Wallace, a Republican who says he voted for Martinez.

"People are so angry about it - just hopping mad," he said.

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBZW0C1C4F.html

http://www.recallmel.com

This recall petition was floating around a few weeks ago.

I really hope his extreme views on immigration (i.e. massive amnesty) cause him political damage or at least a credible primary challenge.

If he wants to work on a entitlement program I suggest he work on the Illegal Aliens entitlements and he will be getting that message from me...if anyone else wants to call or email him it would be appreciated.

Both of our senators will not listen to the voters and are real big on amnesty.They are fooling themselves if they believe this will not hurt them because Floridians are FEDUP !!

Let me show you how much power I have ... and I have way more power then these two incompetant boobs think I do...

Sen. Bill Nelson , Sen. Mel Martinez political carears are now in jepardy.
We will be posting several bill boards with how OUR NUT CASE POLITICIANS VOTED (THEY VOTED FOR AMNESTY) no matter how you slice it or dice it (Even lipstick cant help this pig) .... either recall or on the next election, WE WANT these goof balls out of a job.

People have had it with politicians complete disregard for the peoples will. We are going to set a precident on the next election that will put congressmen and our senitors in their place. These two and many others Will Pay And Pay Hard (WE ARE ALREADY PREPARING FOR THEY"RE OUSTER ... it no longer matters how they vote. I love how they open up my wallet and Tell Me What I Will Spend My Money On! Work on a resume, they will be needing it on the next election if not by recall first. Fraud waist and abuse of your office, your out the door! They need to start working on his resume now, so his nutty @*% can compete for substandard wages. Find A Job Now, because this one is a bust

Martinez has rejected the idea that backing the immigration bill, which critics stigmatized as an "amnesty" bill, caused him any political damage.

Well senator martinez, you are wrong again on this issue. Your backing of the amnesty bill is precisely why your ratings are dropping like flies.
You are suffering from mclamebrainitus. This is the same medical condition that mclamebrain suffers from. The biggest and most evident symptom of this ailment? DENIAL.

It ain't just a river in Egypt senator martinez. We'll see you in the same retirement home with all the other OBL senators because you will soon be out of a job.

We need to distribute this information and make sure it continues to haunt Martinez!

ALIPAC is here and we will make sure that voters never forget!

W

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=N ... =0&thold=0

Do stupid things and bad things happen! We never needed immigration reform. That means stupid laws come forth! We need to enforce and where needed, refinements made to the current laws.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform has Become the Goal of Senator Mel Martinez

However Senator Mel Martinez was quite vocal in his opposition to any form of amnesty for illegal immigrants during his 2004 campaign here in Florida. [b]It was the main reason many Republicans fought so hard to get him elected. Here are the Senator's own words from the campaign: [/b

]"Our immigration policy should first and foremost ensure the security of our great Nation and those individuals posing a terrorist threat should be prevented from entering our country. I strongly oppose amnesty for illegal aliens; our immigration laws should not reward lawlessness."

If any of you all remember..... he was the tip of the spear on the push for amnesty ... I know I will never forget... nor will I allow the others in my state to forget ... hmmm another politician that lies to the general populace to get re-elected ... and then craps on us for his own agenda and greed ...

hmmm is his political carrear shot ... I do believe its my goal and many others here in Florida to put this freak in the un-employment line for depressed wages like the rest of us