Some in GOP don't want Martinez to lead party
Mel Martinez Florida's junior senator, is expected to become the Republican Party chairman, despite some opposition.
By LESLEY CLARK

WASHINGTON - A group of border state Republicans -- including the GOP party chairman in President Bush's adopted state of Texas -- plan to cast what they acknowledge may be only symbolic votes against Bush's pick of Florida Sen. Mel Martinez as the new chief cheerleader for the national Republican Party.

Martinez, who champions giving some illegal immigrants a shot at citizenship even as others in his party push for stricter controls at the border, is poised to be elected Friday as general chairman of the Republican National Committee, signaling the GOP's interest in boosting its appeal among Hispanics -- the fastest growing electorate in the U.S.

But some conservatives and anti-immigration forces have lambasted President Bush for selecting the Cuban-born Martinez, singling out his support for what they call ''amnesty'' for illegal immigrants.

RNC members from border states, including Texas and Arizona, plan to vote against Martinez at the party's winter meeting in Washington, which starts Thursday.

''We've been bombarded with e-mails, letters and postcards from Texans troubled about Senator Martinez,'' said Tina Benkiser, chairwoman of the Republican Party of Texas and a definite ''no'' vote on Martinez.

Still, Martinez's supporters -- and even some critics -- say the opposition is unlikely to derail his election.

Several states are opposed, ''but I don't think it's going to be significant,'' said RNC member Randy Pullen, who is running for chairman of the Arizona Republican Party and plans to vote against Martinez. ``I like Senator Martinez . . . I just wish from our perspective along the border that his position on immigration was different.''

Republican Party of Florida chairwoman Carole Jean Jordan, who has campaigned on Martinez's behalf, said she expects the dissenters to be vastly outnumbered.

''You get this, maybe a half dozen people out of hundreds of votes, and it's fine, it's freedom of speech,'' Jordan said.

POSITIONING
Though the criticism of Martinez reflects the myriad challenges he will face, Republicans who lost both houses of Congress and find themselves divided over Bush's plans for the war in Iraq are desperate to reclaim majority status. Martinez's selection, strategists say, is seen as a way of positioning the party for the future, even as it risks alienating some of the party's base.

''It's not a question of a smart move, it's a question of survival, a recognition of the political realities of campaigning in the 21st century,'' said Fernand Amandi, executive vice president at Miami-based Bendixen and Associates, which specializes in Hispanic polling, mostly for Democrats.

Bush, who ran campaign ads in Spanish, took 40 percent of the Hispanic vote when he was reelected in 2004 -- a record for Republicans. But several factors, including a divisive debate over immigration, eroded those gains in 2006, political analysts say. Within 25 years, some models suggest that the Hispanic vote could be as much as 25 percent of the vote.

Martinez's first hurdle may be the warring factions within his own party. Colorado Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo, a potential 2008 presidential contender and a House leader in efforts to stop illegal immigration, suggested that if he continued to push for comprehensive immigration reform, ``the party could be headed for another shellacking at the polls in 2008.''

The stakes couldn't be higher for Martinez: The race for the White House is wide open and Republicans have to defend 21 seats in the Senate.

CHALLENGES AHEAD
Acknowledges Washington lobbyist and former Republican Party of Florida chairman Al Cárdenas: ``He's going to have one of the greatest challenges of any chairman.

''He's facing bouncing back from a disastrous election with the same issues on the table, preparing the party for a convention, maintaining the White House, retaking Congress and being a prominent spokesperson to counter the Democrats,'' Cárdenas said. ``And he's got to do all that while taking care of constituents back at home.''

Martinez himself faces reelection in 2010.

Martinez's office deferred comments about the position until he's elected.

Martinez said he put limits on the position -- a staff member will handle day-to-day details -- because of what he called his ''main job'' as senator.

Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn, up for reelection in 2008, said he is confident Martinez can handle the job.

''There's always going to be divisions, but we've tried to be a big enough tent,'' Cornyn said, noting that Martinez will ``represent a face of the party that is very important as we look to grow the party.''