Sen. Martinez Backs McCain

GOP CANDIDATES COURT LATINOS

Sen. Martinez Backs McCain

MIAMI -- The Latin Builders Association basked in the attention of four Republican candidates Friday, all of whom pledged to pay attention to issues prized by Latino voters.

While Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) came at the end of the day, as association members were sipping cocktails, he came with a key guest: Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), who formally announced he is endorsing his colleague for president.

"The man that we should trust with the leadership of our nation as commander in chief ought to be John McCain," Martinez said, breaking into Spanish and English. "This is a man que habla claro. He talks straight." For good measure, Martinez added, "He's going to be Castro's worst nightmare," which prompted a round of applause from the largely Cuban American audience.

McCain told the crowd he values Martinez's support. "Mel Martinez, represents to me everything about freedom," he said, noting that he came to the United States at 15 without his parents. "It proved that in America, you will go just as far, and no less, than where your ambitions will take you, to the U.S. Senate."

Earlier in the day at the same event, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who battled in Iowa over who was most opposed to illegal immigration, said little about the issue. Romney touted his plan to pump up the economy by reducing the corporate tax rate and ending Social Security taxes for workers older than 65, while noting that he agrees with the stimulus package that Bush and congressional leaders laid out on Thursday.

Differing from his usual approach, he spoke in detail about being the head of the venture capital firm Bain Capital. Huckabee said the stimulus package was a good idea and talked up his idea of a national sales tax to fund the government, which he said could "put the IRS where the sun don't shine."

Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani also addressed the group.

-- Juliet Eilperin and Perry Bacon Jr.

REPUBLICANS ARE NECK AND NECK