Saturday, July 10, 2004

Martinez for Senate Campaign News 20030709 A couple of items from the Senate campaign of Mel Martinez. 1. On Friday his campaign released a 60 second radio ad that calls on Florida's senators to support the Federal Marriage Amendment, (which the ad refers to as the Marriage Protection Amendment). Embedded QuickTime link MP3Link Textlink The ad is probably the biggest play for the social conservative vote offered by any of the candidates up to this point. It also serves to emphasize his ties with President Bush. A friend of mine who has heard Martinez speak in public thinks that he exaggerated his Cuban accent in the ad. 2. On Wednesday his campaign issued a press release entitled Mel Martinez announces "Doctors for Mel". While the release states Martinez understands the struggles of doctors and patients as insurance premiums increase and the number of insured people decreases. In an effort to ensure that all Florida families have access to affordable health care, Martinez is proud to promote health savings accounts and associations health plans (AHPs) as part of his positive agenda for Florida. it makes no mention of the biggest health care issue at the moment in Florida, which is medical liability reform. He is the only major candidate to not sign a pledge offered by the Florida Medical Association that states that the candidate will "vote in favor of a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages in medical liability cases" once he's in the Senate. (A state-wide referendum on the issue is likely to be on the November ballot.) This is one area where the knock on him for being a trial lawyer is quite legitimate. LATER: The ad is playing on Christian radio stations in Jacksonville, Orlando, Naples-Fort Myers, Pensacola, and Tampa-St. Petersburg. Senators Graham and Nelson both oppose the amendment. St. Petersburg Times Article. Associated Press story Florida Senate Campaign, Politics comment []3:58:59 AM   trackback []