On Tuesday, Miami-Dade County School Board member Carlos Curbelo announced he was running for the Republican nomination to challenge scandal-plagued U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla. Having announced back in May that he was forming an exploratory committee, Curbelos announcement was expected.
"Our campaign will not be about other politicians, Curbelo said in a statement released on Tuesday. It will not be about petty politics. My candidacy will be about people, and making sure that my generation and my children's generation can continue living and working in the greatest nation that the world has ever known. Our efforts will be driven and motivated by my family and by yours, and our focus will be on offering solutions for the challenges all of us face."
Curbelo touched on issues in his announcement on Tuesday, including taking a shot at the federal health care law signed by President Barack Obama.
"The recovery has left many behind, and uncertainty abounds as a result of our national debt crisis and the implementation of the president's health care overhaul, Curbelo said. My neighbors in District 26 are burdened with out-of-control property insurance costs that are endangering the American dream of home ownership. Residents are seeking responsible and sustainable economic growth, and that will not happen unless members of Congress from both parties work together to find solutions."
The son of Cuban exiles who escaped Castros communist regime, Curbelo joined the staff of U.S. Sen. George LeMieux as state director and as an adviser on Latin America in 2009 before being elected to the Miami-Dade County School Board in 2010. Curbelo touched on his experience in his announcement.
"I first ran for the School Board in 2010 inspired by the birth of our daughter, Sylvie, and believing I had something to contribute, Curbelo said. While I have always found public service fulfilling, unlike the incumbent, I have never had an obsession with elected office. For me, this is not about starting a career. Rather, it is an opportunity to turn the page on the recent history of scandal and fraud that has plagued our district, and to help preserve the wonderful nation that we have all inherited."
Curbelo has already reeled in the support of some of Floridas most prominent Republicans including LeMieux and former Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon. As he officially enters the race, Curbelo has three opponents for the Republican nomination in Cutler Bay Mayor Ed MacDougall, former Miami-Dade Commission Chairman Joe Martinez and Jose Peixoto who ran for the seat with no party affiliation in 2012. State Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, R-Miami, is considering entering the contest.
Having defeated scandal-ridden Republican incumbent David Rivera in 2012 during his third run for Congress, Garcia is considered one of the most vulnerable Democrats in Congress. Republicans have a slight edge over Democrats in this district which includes some of Miami-Dade and all of Monroe County. With some of Garcias top aides forced to resign in the aftermath of a voter fraud scandal, Republicans believe this is their best chance to win a congressional seat from the Democrats in Florida.
But Garcia has done well with fundraising which could help him in the general election, especially if Republicans battle in a contentious primary. Reports came out Tuesday that Garcia raised $440,000 in the second quarter of 2013 and he now has around $800,000 on hand.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at 904-521-3722.
