Will Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart draw a serious challenge when he runs for re-election next year?
The buzz in Miami is that Raul Martinez, the Democrat who was mayor of GOP presidential bastion Hialeah for 24 years, is considering a bid. Republicans are taking shots at him, recalling his convictions (racketeering, extortion) that were reversed on appeal. He’s a colorful politician; he apologized this week for a tirade he issued in response to the GOP taunts.
Clearly, Martinez is unafraid. The question is whether he has decided to seek the nomination, guaranteeing that the incumbent and challenger would give us all some great political theater. Martinez opposes the Administration’s 2004 sanctions against Cuban family visits.
One of my favorite Raul Martinez moments was his cameo appearance on "America's Wildest Police Videos." There was a mini-riot taking place on the Palmetto Expressway near 103rd St. So, Hizzoner goes out there with the Hialeah PD to calm the "youths." All of a sudden, one of his young constituents sucker punches him. Martinez, not a small guy, immediately turns around and starts pummeling the kid, hard. All of this was caught on tape and nationally televised. Way to represent!
ReplyDeleteAnybody is better than this Diaz idiot.
ReplyDeleteI would vote for Raul Martinez. If there was a "miami mafia" , Diaz would be part of it.
ReplyDelete