Former Governor Charlie Crist’s running mate, Annette Taddeo announced she is challenging first term Republican Carlos Curbelo for his 26th District seat.
The 26th District is known as one of the nation’s most competitive congressional seats because it has flipped between the two parties in the last two elections since the lines were redrawn.Taddeo told POLITICO:
I really am committed to this. And I’m not going to let the drawing of lines get in the way.
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She also described herself as a “South-Dade girl, through and through.” So dedicated her and her husband are selling their family home in a bordering congressional district to establish residency in CD 26.
Republicans were fast to counteract Taddeo’s announcement by stating Congressman Curbelo has already raised $700,000 in the first quarter of 2015. That amount is one of the largest sums raised by any member of the House in the United States.
As for why Taddeo is running, she said:I built a business, a translation business, and for 20 years have been building bridging the cultural and linguistic divide. And I really feel that the voices of the Florida 26th people is being lost in translation. I’m running to be that voice. Right now, it seems like the only voice that is being heard is the voice of special interests and lobbyists. I want to be the voice of the middle class, working moms and small-business owners and the hard-working people of the Florida 26th. That’s why I’m running.
Charlie Crist is expected to host an event for Taddeo on Thursday.
Prior to her loss last year, Taddeo also unsuccessfully ran in 2010 for Miami-Dade commission and in 2008 she lost against Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
She said all of those losses have made her stronger though and sometimes you have to try a few times to get what you want. Taddeo compared her election history to her struggles of becoming a small-business owner.
All of these are bumps along the road that are part of life. And I am a fighter. I’m the daughter of a World War II fighter pilot. When a fight is worth fighting, you don’t just give up. So I’m going to take that tenacity that I have had throughout my life to Washington to fight for the people of Florida-26.