Mel Martinez to Replace Ken Mehlman as RNC Chairman

Florida Senator Mel Martinez is set to replace outgoing chair Ken Mehlman as head of the Republican National Committee at the end of January.

Among Martinez’ recent accomplishments, the Florida Senator’s office was the source of the Terri Schiavo “talking points” memo, which his legal counsel drew up, detailing the political advantages to Republicans of intervening in that case. Martinez, of course, supports a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, and expressed his belief in June 2006 that it shouldn’t be left up to the states: “It isn’t good enough to say, ‘Leave it up to the states.’…If we leave it up to the states we will see the erosion of marriage that we’ve seen by activist courts, which we otherwise will not see if we protect the institution of marriage at the federal level.”

Ken Mehlman to Step Down from RNC Post [tr]