Random scuttlebutt: Roll Call reports that lame-duck Florida Senator Mel Martinez may retire before his term is up in 2010, which means Republican Governor Charlie Crist would have to appoint a replacement. And Eric Kleefield wonders if Crist might just appoint… himself.
It seems doubtful, but from an environmental perspective, that'd be an encouraging swap. Crist is one of the greenest governors in the country, period. His views on climate policy are nearly identical with Obama's, and he'd (presumably) be another vote in favor of some sort of robust cap-and-trade or carbon tax. To be honest, I can't see Crist vying for the seat until the 2010 midterms, but either way, a genuinely green Republican senator would be a fascinating political development.
--Bradford Plumer