Jan 25, 2008 9:02 pm US/Eastern
Senator Mel Martinez Endorses John McCain
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Republican presidential hopefuls participated in a debate at Florida Atlantic University on Jan. 24, 2008.
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Florida Sen. Mel Martinez endorsed Sen. John McCain for the Republican presidential nomination Friday at the Latin Builders Association meeting in Miami, giving him a boost with the state's Cuban-American vote.
The decision is a blow to Rudy Giuliani. The former New York mayor is in a close fight with McCain for support of voters in the Cuban-American community, and to keep his candidacy alive.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in the meantime has been trying to build on a strong debate performance the prior evening by reiterating his outsider's credentials as a businessman.
He was also at the breakfast meeting of the Latin Builders Association in Miami on Friday, and told them he is better equipped than his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, because "the only way to get America on track economically is to have a president who actually understands how the economy works."
Romney blamed government paralysis in Washington for failure to expand health insurance coverage, end illegal immigration and wean the country from foreign oil.
The winner of Florida's primary on Tuesday will get 57 GOP delegates; over 1,000 more will be chosen in more than 20 primaries and caucuses a week later.
Sen. John McCain disagreed with Romney. Speaking to reporters on his bus elsewhere in Florida, McCain insisted his service on the Senate Commerce Committee is better preparation for overseeing the U.S. economy than Romney's private-sector experience.
He said the Commerce Committee has broad jurisdiction over every aspect of the economy.
"Running an investment company is probably a good thing to do. Making national policy concerning our economy is probably more beneficial to the nation," said McCain, who went on to criticize Romney's economic record as governor.
Martinez, who was born in Cuba, emigrated to the United States as a teenager and is popular in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood.
It remains to be seen whether Martinez's endorsement will translate into votes given that a significant percentage of voters already have cast absentee and early ballots -- many before Giuliani's drop and McCain's ascent in the state.
Florida's primary is Tuesday, and polls show McCain in a close race with Mitt Romney while Giuliani trails in his must-win state.
Martinez and the four-term Arizona senator are longtime friends who worked closely together on a bill that would have created an eventual path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants in the country.
Romney spoke to the group earlier, and Giuliani was finishing up his speech when the news broke.
He left without taking questions from reporters.
As recently as Thursday night, Martinez indicated he would remain neutral in the race despite his friendship with McCain.
He decided to endorse McCain Friday morning after conversations with McCain supporters, officials say.
Martinez is a first-term senator who served as President Bush's secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2001 until 2003.
Last October, he stepped down as the general chairman of the Republican National Committee after serving only 10 months.
Martinez, who is up for re-election in 2010, said he was relinquishing the job to spend more time focusing on his Florida constituents.
He also said the RNC had achieved the objective he set when he assumed the job in January.
Martinez had shared the chairmanship with Mike Duncan, a longtime RNC official who has been responsible for the party's day-to-day operations.
Martinez is the fourth prominent Cuban-American lawmaker to back McCain. Three members of Miami's congressional delegation -- Reps.
Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen -- previously gave McCain their support.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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