Alexander Snitker

Republican Mel Martínez, the former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, was elected to the Senate in 2004, defeating Democrat Betty Castor, the former president of the University of South Florida and former Florida Education Commissioner, by 82,663 votes, 49.4% to 48.3%.

He succeeded retiring Democratic incumbent Bob Graham.

When he declared his candidacy, he received many Republican endorsements, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Martínez, and 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain.

Throughout 2008, opinion polls found that Martínez was consistently unpopular with a plurality of Florida voters.

Public Policy Polling surveys taken in June, July/August, and September 2008 found that his job approval rating was 23%, 24% and 23%, respectively, with 43%, 40% and 37%, respectively, disapproving of his job performance.

A Quinnipiac University Polling Institute survey in November 2008 found him with a higher job approval rating, with 42% approving of his job performance, 33% disapproving and 25% unsure.

However, the same survey also found that only 36% of Florida voters thought he deserved to be re-elected, compared to 38% who did not and 26% who were unsure.

In its November 2008 ratings of the 2010 Senate elections, The Cook Political Report rated the Florida race as a "tossup" and various media outlets identified Martínez as one of the most vulnerable incumbent senators.

Incumbent Republican Senator Mel Martínez, who was elected in a very close race against Democrat Betty Castor with 49% of the vote in 2004, did not seek re-election to a second term, and stated on August 7, 2009, that he would resign prior to the end of his term.

As his successor, the governor of Florida, Republican Charlie Crist, appointed his former chief of staff, George LeMieux.

LeMieux, who replaced Martínez in the Senate on September 10, 2009, was a placeholder and did not seek re-election, as Crist aimed at the seat himself.

Crist publicly launched his campaign for the seat in mid-2009.

However, his support of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 hurt his popularity among conservatives, and Tea Party candidate Marco Rubio, the former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, surged in the polls.

Martínez was reported to be planning to run for re-election, but was not expected to make an official statement until January 2009.

On December 1, Alex Sink declared that she would run for re-election as Chief Financial Officer rather than for the Senate.

The following day, Martínez stated that he would not seek re-election, saying that he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Upon Senator Martínez's not seeking re-election, early speculation surrounded former Governor Jeb Bush.

It was thought that if Bush decided to run, other potential Republican candidates would allow Bush to run uncontested.

After consideration, Bush decided not to run.

Other potential candidates included Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Marco Rubio, Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater, Florida House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty and U.S. Representatives Vern Buchanan, Lincoln Díaz-Balart, Mario Díaz-Balart, Connie Mack IV and Adam Putnam.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist was initially not thought likely to run, instead preferring to run for re-election.

Mack and Rubio were thought the most likely to run, with both preparing their campaigns behind the scenes.

On January 28, 2009, McCollum decided not to seek a Senate seat.

On February 9, Joe Scarborough, a cable news host for MSNBC and former U.S. Representative from Florida, told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that he may run for office again, and was considering running for the Senate.

An MSNBC spokesman refuted the idea that Scarborough might run and the following day, Scarborough, while interviewing White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, dismissed the idea that he would run.

In early February, speculation increased that Charlie Crist was considering running and that Martínez, who had previously pledged to serve out the rest of his term, would resign.

The possibility of Crist appointing himself to the Senate was ruled out by Jim Greer, the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, but it was further speculated that Crist could also resign, allowing his Republican Lieutenant Governor, Jeff Kottkamp, to appoint Crist to the Senate.

The race was essentially "frozen" as potential candidates waited for Crist to declare his intentions and almost immediately, he began to receive criticism from the right of the Republican Party.

The 2010 United States Senate election in Florida took place on November 2, 2010, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

In April 2010, Crist dropped out of the Republican primary and ran as an Independent.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee withdrew its endorsement of Crist and demanded a refund of its campaign funds that it provided for the Crist campaign.

Rubio went on to win the Republican primary against only token opposition.

U.S. Representative Kendrick Meek was the first Democrat to declare his intention to run and he defeated billionaire businessman Jeff Greene in his party's primary.

Also on the ballot were Alexander Snitker of the Libertarian Party, Bernie DeCastro of the Constitution Party, and five other independent candidates.

Polling initially showed Crist neck and neck with Rubio, but by the end of August Rubio opened up a solid and consistent lead.

He was supported by Republican and some Independent voters whereas Democratic and other Independent voters were split between Crist and Meek.

Rubio went on to win the election with 49% of the vote to Crist's 30% and Meek's 20%.

36% also said that if the 2010 election were held on that day, they would vote for Martínez, while 40% said they would vote for his Democratic opponent, with 24% unsure.

Furthermore, his personal approval rating was 31%, with 28% having an unfavourable opinion of him and 40% saying they had no opinion of him.

In head-to-head matches against specific Democratic opponents, the same Public Policy Polling surveys found Martínez tied with U.S. Representative Robert Wexler and trailing Chief Financial Officer of Florida Alex Sink, former senator Bob Graham, U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, U.S. Representative Allen Boyd and U.S. Representative Ron Klein, by margins of between 1 and 20 points.