FL-25: Herald endorses candidate Joe Garcia

[cal04]

Kos
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/10/16/910425/-FL-25:-Herald-endorses-O2B-candidate-Joe-Garcia

Two years ago, as we backed Joe Garcia's bid to take out Mario DIaz-Balard, the Miami Herald backed incumbent, who then went on to win a narrow victory that November.

Since then, Mario's brother Lincoln has quit to run for president of Cuba (no joke, he thinks that the Castro brothers are on their last legs, and that he'd be a viable choice on the island), and Mario -- spooked by his near-death experience in 2008 -- moved to Lincoln's more Republican district. So Garcia is back for a second crack at this now open seat. And given the quality of his opposition, the Herald has now cast its lot with our guy:

Mr. Rivera has been a state legislator for eight years, but during this campaign he has at times discredited himself. He has not released documentation to clarify a consulting contract he says he has with the U.S. Agency for International Development, which maintains it has no record of this. That raises disturbing questions about transparency and honesty. Mr. Rivera owes it to the public to come clean about his sources of income.

Mr. Garcia, a moderate on Cuba policy, is well known for an argumentative style. It may have served him well as an advocate for his party and other causes, but in Congress we need fewer verbal bomb throwers and more consensus-builders. His campaign has consisted of disparaging attack ads against Mr. Rivera, hardly an incentive to vote for Mr. Garcia.

Still, the time has come for a change in this district, giving Mr. Garcia an edge. It has been represented by U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a Republican, ever since it was created after the 2000 census. This year, Mr. Diaz-Balart moved to a district considered safer for Republicans. The district is evenly divided among registered Democrats and Republicans, with independents holding the balance.

For U.S. House, District 25, The Miami Herald recommends JOE GARCIA.

Aww, the Herald was nice to Rivera. In addition to his money laundering and being Marco Rubio's BFF, Rivera is also a woman beater and highway pirate. He is also a judas, denying his own friends for political gain.

Quite the accomplishments.

As for Garcia, the fact that he has an "argumentative style" makes me like him even more. What Congress needs is less "consensus builder", and more "push back against right-wing crazy". The establishment may get the vapors when a Democrats acts like a passionate advocate for his or her beliefs, but fact is we definitely need more of those kinds of Democrats in Congress. We can help make that happen.

[monmouth]

1. Garcia and Grayson..Wow, and both from FL. Good team..n/t

[Scurrilous]

2. LOL

"...Mario -- spooked by his near-death experience in 2008 -- moved to Lincoln's more Republican district."

That would be my district. :P