Wasserman Schultz poised to beat Sanders-backed challenger [View all]

[brooklynite]

Politico

Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s summer from hell has been a hand-wrapped gift to her Bernie Sanders-backed primary opponent. But even her critics say it would take a miracle for the longtime Miami congresswoman and persona non grata of the progressive left to lose her seat in the Aug. 30 election.

The fallout from the embarrassing Democratic National Committee email leak last month was swift and severe, costing Wasserman Schultz her chairmanship on the eve of the party's national convention after five years in that job. There’s quite a ways between that, however, and losing reelection: A fixture of South Florida politics for nearly a quarter-century, Wasserman Schultz remains the prohibitive favorite to beat Tim Canova and return to the House for a seventh term, according to recent polling and Florida political operatives.

“As much as I would like to say otherwise, I think his chances are pretty slim,” said Ben Pollara, a Democratic political consultant who once worked for Wasserman Schultz but is now a critic.

“I think on the basis of demographics, it doesn’t matter who the challenger is or what the issues are, barring something like an indictment, it’s her district,” he said. Pollara manages United for Care, a group backing the medical marijuana initiative that Wasserman Schultz has fought against.

Personally, I think too much of Canova's campaign, and the drive of his out-of-State contributors was her role as DNC Chair, which I don't think the average district voter cared about.