WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush Tuesday introduced Florida Sen. Mel Martinez as the next head of the national Republican Party, replacing Ken Mehlman.
Mehlman announced he would step down after last week's general election, in which Republicans lost control of both the U.S. House and the Senate.
GOP General Counsel Mike Duncan, a former party treasurer, will handle the day-to-day party operations and Jo Ann Davidson will serve as co-chair.
"I want to thank you all very much for agreeing to serve our party," Bush said. "I do want to say that Ken Mehlman did a whale of a job as the chairman of the Republican Party."
Bush said Martinez, 60, the only Hispanic Republican in the Senate, will be an able spokesman for the party, "able to carry our message as we go into an important year in 2008."
Bush praised Duncan as a grassroots organizer and Davidson as a party stalwart.
Mehlman will step aside in January, opening the way for Duncan's election as chairman.
