PPP under attack

Mel Martinez and the Florida Republican Party are attacking PPP for pointing out that his approval rating is beyond poor.

If it seems like we've been here before it's because we have. When we showed Elizabeth Dole's approval in the low 40s around this time two years ago her people attacked us for our methodology, our clients, anything they could think of to try to deflect attention from her lacking popularity.

In case you missed it, Elizabeth Dole's not going to be a Senator anymore next year. We were right on the mark in pointing out her extreme vulnerability very early in the 2007-2008 election cycle, and her approval rating was much better than Mel Martinez's is right now. For instance, when we first tested Kay Hagan against Elizabeth Dole 16 months ago, Dole led 43-27. But Martinez is trailing almost every potential competitor we looked at him against.

Republicans in Florida better hope for a major turnaround in the national political climate- or a stronger GOP candidate to take Martinez out in the primary- if they want to have any hopes of keeping this seat in two years.