MIAMI, Jan. 20 Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida has decided not to endorse Republican presidential hopeful Arizona Sen. John McCain.
McCain was planning to campaign Monday in Miami with Martinez to help woo Hispanic voters,The Miami Herald reported Sunday.
A factor in Martinez's decision to withhold his endorsement of McCain's candidacy is that he feels badly for McCain rival, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was a Martinez supporter and had expected his backing in return, the newspaper reported.
McCain supporters had been told by the campaign late last week that Martinez was coming to stump with the Arizona senator. But, they said, Giuliani supporters -- who played a key role in Martinez's narrow 2004 Senate win -- swayed Martinez to remain neutral.
''Mel's a tower of Jell-O,'' said Republican operative Roger Stone, a McCain backer. "He was committed to McCain, and given McCain's role in the fight over immigration, and given the fact he's going to win South Carolina tonight, Mel Martinez should have done what he said and gone with the guy who will be president.''
Guiliani has staked his presidential campaign on a win in Florida, and has campaigned hard there after largely sidestepping other early nominating contests.
Copyright 2008 by UPI
