Senate Race Pits CU Friends Against EachOther

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - (09/01/04) – Credit unions appeared to havebacked both winners in Tuesday’s Senate primaries, withformer state commissioner of education Betty Castor, appearing towin the Democratic primary, and Mel Martinez, former BushAdministration Housing Secretary, appearing to eke out a win theRepublican side. If the results hold up it will require the creditunion lobby, which has supported both candidates, to choose betweenthem in November’s general election to succeed Democrat BobGraham, who is retiring after three terms. Castor is a long-timecredit union member who has never had a bank account; whileMartinez has courted credit unions carefully during his tenure inWashington and during the campaign. Officials with the Florida CULeague told The Credit Union Journal earlier they feel that eithercandidate will represent credit union interests if elected to theSenate.