There are three good races going in South Florida right now. Democrats are targeting the two Diaz-Balart brothers and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. These are not your ordinary Republicans. They are among the most right wing here in this state, and they adhere to the Bush themes of almost everything, even drowning the government in the "bathtub" as Norquist put it.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz refuses to campaign against those three right wing Republicans, even though there are good Democrats running. She might support the Democrats, but she defends her "friends".
Debbie says get the bloggers off my back."I have read some of the bloggers' comments," she told me, imploring me to "please help get them off my back," as she seemed to be frustrated by the coverage she's received lately in the blogosphere.
But here is her stance on her GOP friends. Considering she is a possible for the chair of the DCCC next year....not a good idea at all.
This time around, Wasserman Schultz and Meek say their relationships with the Republican incumbents, Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart and his brother Mario, and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, leave them little choice but to sit out the three races.
''At the end of the day, we need a member who isn't going to pull any punches, who isn't going to be hesitant,'' Wasserman Schultz said.
The decision comes as Democrats believe they have their best shot in years to defeat at least one of the Cuban-American incumbents with a roster of Democrats that include former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez, opposing Lincoln Diaz-Balart; outgoing Miami-Dade Democratic party chair Joe Garcia, opposing Mario Diaz-Balart; and businesswoman Annette Taddeo, opposing Ros-Lehtinen.
But Wasserman Schultz and Meek say their ties to the three Republicans are personal as well as professional
Both served in the state Legislature with Mario Diaz-Balart and say they work in concert with all three on South Florida issues.
Garcia is not having any of that.
Joe Garcia is a Democrat running against Mario Diaz Balart, and in this Huffington Post article he has very strong words for Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
The Wasserman Schultz WaltzIt was an elegant dance. Taddeo is brand new to the political scene, though, and one could hardly expert her to tear apart a congresswoman who, much less a Floridian and a Democrat, is also one of the party's fastest-rising stars. But Joe Garcia? Well, ol' Joe's different. The outgoing chair of the Democratic Party of Miami-Dade County, Garcia is far from a political newcomer. So, when responding to Wasserman Schultz's claim that she had to work with South Florida's Republicans, he expressed incredulity, and he did so pointedly. Razor-sharp pointedly.
He pulls no punches at all. Good for him.
"Exactly what would they work together on? Cutting children's health care? Not bringing federal dollars to the district? Voting against the environment? Voting against better jobs? She may have to work with them, but the truth is if you look at their voting records and you look at Rep. Wasserman Schultz's voting record, they are very different," Garcia said. "So, apparently, it's better to have a good time at a cocktail party than solve problems. Look, I have no doubt that Debbie Wasserman Schultz is going to be standing next to me when this election is done. ... I understand that she's in a tough position because she has served with Mario and Lincoln for a long time, but there comes a point when you've got to do what's right for your community. And I think she's going to do that. I have to say I have the utmost respect for her, I think she's going to be one of my leaders when I go to Congress, but I think we should leave it at that. I think at some point, she's going to have to reconcile her views and her values with cocktail parties with Mario Diaz-Balart. And hopefully views and values are more important than being able to smile across the aisle at a guy who votes against every sane thing that most people want."
With Democratic challengers like Garcia, who rightly dismiss the votes of the Diaz-Balart boys as, well, insane, it's going to be a fun couple months between now and November.
Wow, good for Joe Garcia. These are not ordinary Republicans in South Florida, and one who is said all the time to be "a rising star" in the party....needs to get her priorities straight.
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