Martinez Takes Over as Leader of RNC -- Florida Senator Aims to Reach Out To Minority Voters

From The Washington Post:

Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida, who arrived in the United States as a teenage Cuban refugee, took his party's helm yesterday as general chairman of the Republican National Committee, vowing to reach out to minority voters and restore "the principles that have made us great."

Martinez was handpicked for the job by President Bush, and his ascendance was not without controversy. A small group of conservative RNC members had announced their opposition to the first-term senator because they viewed him as overly tolerant of illegal immigration.

But to many Republicans, Martinez represented a fresh face for the party, a first-generation American whose background and congenial personality could widen GOP appeal to vast new voter groups. Martinez called for greater tolerance for all groups during his inaugural address yesterday.