Mel Martínez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mel Martínez
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| United States Senator from Florida |
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| In office January 3, 2005 – September 9, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Graham |
| Succeeded by | George LeMieux |
| General Chair of the Republican National Committee | |
| In office January 19, 2007 – October 19, 2007 Served with Mike Duncan (National Chair) |
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| Preceded by | Ken Mehlman (chair) |
| Succeeded by | Mike Duncan (chair) |
| 12th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | |
| In office January 24, 2001 – August 13, 2004 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Deputy | Alphonso Jackson |
| Preceded by | Andrew Cuomo |
| Succeeded by | Alphonso Jackson |
| 2nd Mayor of Orange County | |
| In office January 3, 1998 – January 3, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Linda Chapin |
| Succeeded by | Richard Crotty |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Melquíades Rafael Ruiz Martínez
October 23, 1946 Sagua La Grande, Cuba |
| Political party | Democratic (before 1979) Republican (1979–present) |
| Spouse | Kitty Martínez |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Orlando Junior College (AA) Florida State University (BA, JD) |
Melquíades Rafael Ruiz Martínez (born October 23, 1946), known as Mel Martínez, is a Cuban-American lawyer and former politician. He was the first Cuban-American to serve as a United States Senator. He represented the state of Florida from 2005 to 2009 as a member of the Republican Party.
Before becoming a senator, Martínez held several important jobs. He was the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George W. Bush. This department helps people across the country find safe and affordable places to live. He also served as the mayor of Orange County, Florida.
In 2009, Martínez decided to resign from the Senate before his term ended. After leaving politics, he became a lobbyist, a person who works to represent a group's interests to the government. He later became a top executive at the bank JPMorgan, Chase & Co.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mel Martínez was born in Sagua La Grande, Cuba. In 1962, when he was 15 years old, he came to the United States alone. He was part of Operation Peter Pan, a program run by Catholic charities that helped over 14,000 Cuban children move to the U.S.
When he first arrived, he did not speak much English. He lived in youth centers and with two different foster families. In 1966, he was happily reunited with his family in Orlando, Florida.
Martínez worked hard in school. He earned a degree in international affairs and a law degree from Florida State University. For 25 years, he worked as a lawyer in Orlando and was very active in his community.
Start in Politics
Martínez's political career began in the 1990s. In 1998, he was elected as the chairman of Orange County, Florida, a job similar to being a mayor. As mayor, he created a rule known as the "Martínez doctrine." This rule said that new buildings could not be built unless there were enough public services, like schools, for the new people who would live there.
Martínez was a strong supporter of George W. Bush during his campaign for president in 2000. After Bush won the election, he chose Martínez to be his Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As HUD Secretary, Martínez worked to increase homeownership and improve housing for families across America.
U.S. Senate Career
In 2004, Martínez decided to run for the U.S. Senate. He left his job as HUD Secretary to campaign for the open Senate seat in Florida. The election was very competitive.
The 2004 Election
Martínez first had to win the Republican Party's nomination, which is called a primary election. He faced a tough challenge from another Republican, former Congressman Bill McCollum. After a difficult campaign, Martínez won the nomination.
In the main election, he ran against the Democratic nominee, Betty Castor. The race was extremely close. Martínez won by a very small number of votes, making him the first Cuban-American to ever be elected to the U.S. Senate.
After the election, there was a review of his campaign's finances. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) found that his campaign had accepted more money from some donors than the law allowed. His campaign agreed to pay a fine for not following the rules.
Time in the Senate
As a senator, Martínez worked on many national issues. He was named the general chairman of the Republican Party in 2006, a leadership role he held for about a year.
In 2008, he wrote a book about his life called A Sense of Belonging; From Castro's Cuba to the U.S. Senate, One Man's Pursuit of the American Dream.
On August 7, 2009, Martínez announced that he would be resigning from the Senate. The governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, appointed George LeMieux to take his place until the next election.
Political Views
During his time in politics, Senator Martínez had views that were generally conservative.
- Economy: He supported tax cuts and free trade between countries. He believed in having fewer government rules for businesses.
- Immigration: He believed that the country's borders should be secure. He supported plans to allow foreign workers to fill jobs in the U.S. but did not support plans that would give an easy path to citizenship for those who entered the country illegally.
- Foreign Policy: He was a strong critic of the government in Cuba and supported the U.S. trade embargo against the island. He also believed in having a strong relationship with Israel.
- Education: He was a supporter of the No Child Left Behind Act, which aimed to improve schools. He also supported programs that give parents more choices about where to send their children to school.
Life After Politics
Two weeks after leaving the Senate, Martínez began a new career as a lobbyist for a large international law firm. A lobbyist's job is to talk to government officials on behalf of companies or organizations.
In 2010, he left that job to become the chairman of Chase Bank in Florida and other parts of Latin America. He is currently the chairman for the Southeast and Latin America for JPMorgan, Chase & Co.
Personal Life
Mel Martínez and his wife, Kitty, have three children and five grandchildren. He lives in Orlando, Florida.
See also
In Spanish: Mel Martínez para niños
- List of foreign-born United States Cabinet members
- List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
- List of United States senators born outside the United States
