The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is raising the stakes in South Florida, naming former Judge Mary Barzee Flores to its program for top prospects to defeat Republican incumbents.
The DCCC named Barzee Flores, who is running against U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., to its “Red to Blue” program on Thursday.
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján, D-NM, the chairman of the DCCC, weighed in on Barzee Flores.
“Through every step of her career, Mary Barzee Flores has shown the qualities that we need more of in Congress,” said Luján. “She will put hardworking Floridians before Washington special interests and will answer to the people she serves. She is running a strong campaign and finally providing the community she is running to represent the chance to vote for a new approach, not more of the same Republican agenda that hurts hardworking Floridians.”
Barzee Flores becomes the sixth Florida Democrat to be named as part of the “Red to Blue” program, joining Nancy Soderberg, Kristen Carlson, David Shapiro, Lauren Baer and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.
Back in 2015, then President Barack Obama nominated Barzee Flores to a post on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida but she was blocked by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Barzee Flores started running for the congressional seat held by retiring U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., but switched over to challenge Diaz-Balart after former U.S. HHS Sec. Donna Shalala joined the crowded Democratic primary field.
First elected to Congress in 2002, Diaz-Balart won overwhelmingly in the 2016 election, taking 62 percent while Democrat Alina Valdes pulled 38 percent.
On Friday, Florida Politics reported that Public Policy Polling (PPP), a pollster aligned with the Democrats, took a poll which found Diaz-Balart taking 41 percent with Barzee Flores getting 36 percent while 22 percent remain undecided.
