The "vulnerable" Cuban Americans

The independent Rothenberg Political Report -- which earlier this week bumped up the competitive nature of the South Florida races -- says the current state of the races "is a mixed bag for Democrats.

Political Editor Nathan Gonzales writes that Democrats earlier this year "declared all three Cuban Republicans in South Florida vulnerable, despite flimsy quantitative evidence to back up their assertion."

But he notes that although "public and private polling now confirms that brothers Mario Diaz-Balart (R) and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R) are in very competitive races, (against Joe Garcia and Raul Martinez).. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R) still looks very strong in her re-election bid."

He also writes that Martinez's "high negative ratings, stemming from a somewhat tumultuous time as mayor, is one reason why one GOP strategist believes Mario Diaz-Balart may, in the end, be the most vulnerable of the three Cuban Republicans."

Comments

[citizenkane]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxkUFl4z2sc

[Unger]

Raulito's tenure as mayor "somewhat tumultuous"? that's the understantement of the year.

[vilj]

Raul Martinez achievements in the City of Hialeah, speak for themselves. A really strong mayor who left the city with a surplus. Compare the progress and lack of scandals in Hialeah, while Raul was the major, with the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County. Give me Raul Martinez any day of the week.

[Hialeah411]

You're right, the streets and parks were torn up and redone. He tore up the ground to build new drainage so the streets no longer flooded. He tore down the decrepit and crime ridden down town Hialeah created a thriving new area. Kept taxes low and the city ran well. There was a lot of progress going on. Definitely tumultuous. In a very good way.