Diaz-Balart To Retire

[ccharles000]

Diaz-Balart is the 18th House GOPer to step down, and one of the few who holds a seat that Dems could target. In '08, he defeated Dem Raul Martinez by 16 pointes, even though the DCCC spent money in his Miami-Dade and Broward Co. district.

The district is heavily Hispanic, thanks to Miami's large Cuban population. 73% of district residents call themselves Hispanic, while just 16% are white. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) won a narrow 51%-49% victory in the seat.

First elected in '92, Diaz-Balart has had little trouble holding on to his seat. His brother, Mario, represents another heavily-Cuban part of Miami. CongressDaily reports that Mario Diaz-Balart will abandon his district to run in Lincoln's, which is seen as tilting more toward the GOP.

A Dem source tells Hotline OnCall that '08 nominee/Dept. of Energy appointee Joe Garcia (D) is considering the race if Mario does indeed leave his district, the 25th, to run in his brother's seat. Garcia had turned down a rematch earlier this year, but appears he may be tempted to enter the open seat.

http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/02/diazbalart_to_r.php

[T Wolf]

1. Oh No! Who will Wasserman-Schultz back now that her repuke buddy is not running. Probably

one of the other thugs from the GOP.

We do not need her kind of DINO in Congress.

[Mika]

2. A good personal friend of MiamiCuban exile terrorists Luis Posada and Orlando Bosch.

:puke:

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