In an interview this morning, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio didn’t rule out considering a run for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Mel Martinez. Former Gov. Jeb Bush, through a spokesman, took a similar approach.

“It’s never a good idea to totally rule something out in politics, so I won’t do that,” Iorio said. “But as of today, I have not made any plans to run for that seat.”

She said the seat is “very winnable for a Democrat. A good, solid candidate would have a great shot at an open seat, given today’s political environment.”

Iorio faces a term limit at the end of her second term as mayor in 2011. Though she doesn’t have a well-known name statewide, Iorio’s Tampa Bay area base would be considered an important asset in a statewide race.

A Bush spokeswoman, meanwhile, says the former governor “has not given serious consideration to running for the U.S. Senate, or any other office at this point. He remains focused on the important policy issues facing our country in these challenging times, chiefly education reform.”

In the written statement, the spokesman says Bush “hopes to play a constructive role in the future of the party, advocating ideas and policies to get the conservative cause back on track.”

Bush likely would be the frontrunner for the GOP nomination for the seat if he entered the race but has said he has no interest in running for the Senate.

Martinez announced this morning that he won’t seek re-election to the seat in 2010.

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