Tue, November 11, 2008 - 4:36 PM

Florida Sen. Mel Martinez has not said yet if he plans to seek a second, six-year Senate term in 2010.

But Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa says she’s wants Florida's Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink to make a run for Martinez’ Senate seat, regardless of what the first-term GOP senator decides.

“I am encouraging her to run,” said Castor, in an interview today.

Castor, whose own name has been floated as a potential candidate, said she has had several conversations with Democratic Sink on the topic.

Such discussionsc come as an analysis by a polling firm, citing low job approval ratings Martinez, calls him “probably the most endangered incumbent in the country for 2010 and ... ripe for a strong primary challenge.”

But Martinez allies say that’s at best a distortion of the true situation.

Martinez does not have enviable job approval ratings, and there has been speculation that he may not even run for re-election in 2010. His numbers suffered substantially when he took a high-profile stance backing John McCain’s immigration reform proposal, which opponents criticized as “amnesty.”

But the numbers cited by North Carolina-based Public Policy Polling for Martinez are even lower than most other polls.

PPP says three polls it did this summer gave Martinez job approval ratings of 23-24 percent—woefully low for an incumbent senator—and that several Democrats easily beat him in hypothetical matchups, including state Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink.

But other polls, including Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, which does polls for The Tampa Tribune and other news agencies, showed numbers that were substantially higher, though still not great—generally 35-45 percent. One October poll by Hamilton Campaigns, a Democratic-oriented firm, gave Martinez 51 percent positive job ratings.

David Hill, a GOP political consultant and pollster who has worked for Martinez, points out that in the 2008 election, one of the party’s biggest problems in Florida was the Hispanic vote. But Martinez, a Cuban refugee, is well-positioned to overcome that problem.

“I don’t think because some on the far right disagree with Mel Martinez on one issue, like immigration, that will make them vote for a Democrat,” Hill said. “If the race was that one-sided, there would be already be three or four Democrats lining up” to take Martinez on.

“In any case, most pollsters say job approval and hypothetical matchups of candidates in polls aren’t great at predicting outcomes of actual election campaigns.”

-- Billy House and William March

Florida Rep. C.W. Bill Young’s youngest son, Patrick, 21, is facing a potentially serious medical situation, the lawmaker said today.

“He has a tumor just behind his lung, and it’s in a difficult position,” said Young, of Indian Shores, who is the longest serving Republican in the U.S. House.

But surgery to remove the tumor it is on hold.

Tests indicate the tumor might contain some hormones that could be harmful if secreted during surgery, explained Young.

“He’s being treated with medication to prepare his body,” said Young, saying that treatment could take another 10 days.

-- Billy House