The Democratic leadership at the national and state levels have made their choice in South Florida, rallying behind Annette Taddeo, the former chairwoman of the Miami-Dade Democrats, to run against U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., in 2016.
Though Taddeo has failed in her past attempts to win political office and had to move to the district, Democrats are increasingly backing her campaign.
Former state CFO Alex Sink, like Taddeo in the midst of a political slump following her losses in the 2010 gubernatorial election and a special congressional election last year, threw her support behind the candidate last week. Taddeo failed in her previous attempt to run for Congress and in her bid for County Commission. Last year, Taddeo was former Gov. Charlie Crist’s running mate on the Democratic ticket that came up short against Gov. Rick Scott.
“I met Annette when I was a bank executive in Miami and she was the chair of the Women's Chamber," Sink noted last week. “Since then, her leadership skills and steadfast fight for women's rights have been undeniable. Annette will be a force for good in Congress and will be a strong voice for the people of South Florida. Annette will put her community first, front and center. I stand with Annette, and I ask that my Florida friends, especially those in the 26th District, join me in supporting Annette Taddeo for Congress."
Taddeo also reeled in the support of U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Over the weekend, the Miami Herald reported the New Mexico congressman will attend a fundraiser for Taddeo in Coral Gables on Friday.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) pounced on Monday, noting Taddeo posted the Miami Herald piece on her Twitter account and insisted she was bragging about the high-end event, which costs between $500 and $5,400 to attend. The NRCC also mocked Taddeo’s previous claim to be “middle class” despite being worth $5.7 million.
“Multimillionaire Annette Taddeo is so out-of-touch with South Florida’s middle class that she doesn’t realize it’s impolite to brag about a lavish fundraiser to folks who most likely can’t afford to attend,” said Chris Pack, a spokesman for the NRCC, on Monday. “With boneheaded moves like this, it’s no wonder that Annette Taddeo has never won an election.”
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
