"It is time that the Republicans get a clear message: No more free rides," said Miami-Dade Democratic Party chair Annette Taddeo-Goldstein. "After the catastrophic failure of Republican legislators to put Florida's people first this year, voters deserve a Democratic choice on the ballot. Many of these incumbents have never even faced a challenger before. Not any more."
TODAY, Tuesday, June 3rd, candidates will file to run in each of the seven State House districts currently without Democratic challengers.
Just last month, Florida's GOP-controlled state legislature closed yet another failed session without taking any action to tackle the defining problems facing Florida today: Medicaid expansion, raising the minimum wage, and adequately funding our public education system, to name a few. Because of their inaction, over one million Floridians will continue to suffer from lack of health insurance who would otherwise be covered under the federal expansion. Over 1.2 million Floridians must still struggle to make ends meet working for minimum wage, after Miami-Dade Republican state representative Carlos Trujillo — who chairs the House Economic Development & Tourism committee — refused to even hear debate on legislation to raise the wage. Meanwhile, Republicans continue to pander to corporate special interests.
Here are the candidates filing today:
Mariano Corcilli (district 111, currently an open seat), an attorney, former criminal prosecutor, and veterans' advocate who served his country as a Sergeant in the United States Marines Corps;
Juan Cuba (district 116), Executive Director of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party and a former White House appointee and Obama field director responsible for organizing the ground game in Miami-Dade and surrounding counties;
Kristopher Decossard (district 115), a Cuban-American, Miami native, proud FIU alum, and Army veteran raised by a single mother who plans to continue serving his country in public office;
Nelson Milian (running in district 110), a Cuban-American tech entrepreneur from Hialeah and founder of a youth summer camp focusing on the intersection of technology and the arts;
Carlos Pereira (district 105), a community organizer and president of the Venezuelan-American Democratic Club;
Omar Rivero (district 118), a Cornell graduate and digital entrepreneur who built an online organizing community of over 300,000 progressive political activists;
Milagro Ruiz (district 119), a Honduran-American schoolteacher of nearly 20 years, proud Miami-Dade College and St. Thomas University graduate.
18 comments:
This is so exciting! FINALLY. Let's take back Tallahassee.
Congratulations, Miami. Finally some candidates who represent the actual communities. I hope that this will bring the voters out in November.
Congrats to all of the candidates. No more free rides, indeed.
It's a great development.
The Dade Democratic Party is incredibly diverse.
Judging from the brief bios, this looks like a decent slate of candidates.
Here is how Pres. Obama did in those seven State House districts two years ago:
105 50.3%
110 49.4%
111 47.4%
115 48.8%
116 45.0%
118 50.5%
119 49.8%
Of course Dems should be running in these districts!
None of those districts are winnable in a mid term. Good luck with that...
It is concerning to me though that so many seemingly good candidates are democrats. I guess they haven't started paying real, punitive taxes yet for making a good living. Also concerning that their abuelas didn't teach them better about why democrats are evil and secretly want to support Castro.
The incumbent Republicans should not let their usual arrogance lull them to sleep. The R's will have to work to survive. They may have plenty of money from all the special interests, but money will not save your ass. This will be a ground game. All you well-heeled Republicans had better get ready to sweat going door to door with your twisted messages. Don't expect the voters to be glad to see you. What a great year this will be. Thanks to every one of these Democratic candidates for stepping forward.
There is no need to sweat as they will get beaten out the door with a broomstick by people in their districts who need healthcare but can't get it because they failed to support medicaid expansion. They need to be calm as they face voters who need more money to live on but can't get it because they did not support raising the minimum wage.
What are you all smoking? The Democratic Party is in the gutter these days because of the White House and they will all get creamed at the polls.
Nobody knows anyone on this sorry pathetic list and it will take more than wishful thinking to take out any of the Republicans.
I cannot believe anyone is jumping in joy as though the Dems have a chance.
Wake up people and learn what it will take for a Democrat to win at the polls this year.
Think about the deserter-maybe collaborator all over the news. Do you think anyone in their right mind will touch a Democrat after this horrible debacle of a desperate president looking for a legacy? In your dreams.
Do you even have the guts to print this post?
You forgot to mention Benghazi. What self respecting Republican would forget that.
I know some of the candidates. I think they are good citizens, not career politicians. That is a plus.
I looked for them on the web. None of them have a website. Where can I find info on them?
Beyond all the other bad things they have done to hurt us, blocking our right to vote on the MDC improvements are right at the top with everything else. It is one thing for them to not support one of the primary foundations of this community, but it is another thing for them to prevent us from voting on the issue. There is no place in state government for petty-minded ego-driven nincompoops. Thank you Democratic party for giving us a chance to rid ourselves of these self-serving people.
Democrats are going to do quite well in this upcoming election. For your information Obama is not on the ballot. But if he was, given the irresponsible actions of republicans, there is no question he would win. There are some unique things about being an American. We don't leave our men behind in wars. it is part of our culture, the essence of who we are. Being President is not for the faint of heart. Many difficult decisions must be made everyday. As a parent of a serviceman, I am happy he made the decision to bring him home.
To all the new democratic candidates, welcome aboard! Please know that elections are about numbers, and numbers alone. The only people who are important to you in this effort are those who actually vote in your district.
The good thing is your districts are small. Get your precincts, learn them well, and find out who your super voters are. These are people like me who vote every election without fail. Work your campaign backwards starting now with your plan for election day, early voting, and absentee ballot voting. Votes come in only during these activities so everything has to be focused on these three events. Involve everyone you know to help you in this quest.
Very proud of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party! This is an incredible and valiant effort. Many thanks to those who are running for finally representing us. This is a great step for Florida.
Post a Comment