Rodrguez drops out of Miami congressional race, boosts Democratic chances of capturing state Senate
MIAMI — In a move that spares Florida Democrats from spending millions of dollars, state Sen. José Javier Rodríguez decided to leave a crowded Miami congressional race and stay in his seat so his party has a better shot of funding swing Florida Senate districts in other parts of the state.
Rodríguez told POLITICO that when he first announced for Florida’s 27th Congressional District, the political landscape was different. But the race got crowded, a new resign-to-law passed and Democrats are winning bellwether contests throughout the state as Republicans appear in retreat. So he said he needs to stay in Florida’s 37th Congressional District and give his party the best chance it has had in two decades to win control of the Florida Senate.
“It looks like there’s huge momentum on the Democratic side. The data is there. And we’re in a really historic position in the Florida Senate,” Rodríguez told POLITICO.
By staying put, Democrats won’t have to find a new candidate and defend the seat, which cost them more than $4 million to win for Rodríguez in 2016. The next election for Florida’s 37th Senate District is in 2020. With that savings, Democrats hope to focus on other races, such as a state Senate seat in Hillsborough County, where outgoing state House Democratic leader Janet Cruz is running against state Sen. Dana Young.
The other district Democrats hope to steal is in Miami-Dade, where former Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas plans to run against state Rep. Manny Diaz Jr. for the seat that state Sen. Rene Garcia is leaving due to term limits.
https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2018/04/11/rodriguez-drops-out-of-miami-congressional-race-boosts-democratic-chances-of-capturing-state-senate-359611
