The stakes are getting high in South Florida as both parties get more active in a key congressional race.
On Tuesday, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) looked to defend U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., against former U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla., by launching new radio spots. While Curbelo defeated Garcia in 2014, the latest round of redistricting has made this seat far more hospitable for Democrats.
In the radio ads, the NRCC takes aim at Garcia by reminding voters of his record in office.
“Paying the price for bad politics,” the ad starts. “A former aide to Congressman Joe Garcia cuffed in a South Florida courtroom today.”
The narrator of the ad continues from there.
“Remember why you got rid of former Congressman Joe Garcia?” the narrator asks. “The scandals. Election fraud. Campaign payoffs. Former employees sent to jail. Now Joe Garcia is running again. And embarrassing you again. New court records reveal that Garcia knew even more about his campaign’s illegal activities. Now comes the latest embarrassment.”
Another voice chimes in. “A controversial, some say sexist, comment from a south Florida candidate for Congress. The candidate is Joe Garcia.”
“Garcia was caught on camera making lewd and sexist comments about Hillary Clinton,” the narrator says. “Whether it’s something he says, or something he does, Joe Garcia has embarrassed South Florida long enough.”
“Joe Garcia has consistently embarrassed the people of South Florida with his never-ending scandals and lewd sexist comments,” insisted Chris Pack, a spokesman for the NRCC, on Tuesday. “The people of South Florida deserve better than someone like Joe Garcia, who just doesn’t get it.”
In the meantime, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which had backed former Miami Dade Democratic Party Chairwoman Annette Taddeo in last month’s primary over Garcia, announced at the end of last week that the South Florida race was now in its “Red to Blue” program, meaning they think they have a good shot at flipping the seat.
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-NM, noted that Garcia now joins around 50 other Democratic candidates across the nation.
“These effective, hardworking and diverse candidates further demonstrate that House Democrats are on offense and prepared to seize opportunities on Election Day,” Lujan said on Friday. “Not only have these individuals proven themselves capable of running smart campaigns, they are also ready to fight on behalf of all the people in their districts, keep them safe and ensure the economy works for everyone.
“These candidates have earned their places in our battle-tested Red to Blue program, and I’m excited to work as a team, build on that success and execute winning campaigns,” Lujan added.
“This Red to Blue designation indicates that these candidates will run a top-notch campaign through election day, putting them in an excellent position to join the Democratic caucus,” the DCCC noted. “The DCCC’s Red to Blue program highlights top Democratic campaigns across the country, and offers them financial, communications, grassroots, and strategic support. The program will introduce Democratic supporters to new, competitive candidates in order to help expand the fundraising base for these campaigns.”
