Nov 4, 2008 7:31 pm US/Eastern
Diaz-Balart Battles Garcia For District 25 Seat
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Mario Diaz-Balart (R) vs. Joe Garcia (D)
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Joe Garcia challenging U.S. Representative Mario Diaz Balart for his seat in Congress.
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI/CBS
U.S. House Representative Mario Diaz-Balart is locked in a political dog fight as he battles to maintain his seat in District 25 which encompasses West Miami Dade along with parts of Monroe and Collier counties. His campaign headquarters was buzzing with volunteers Tuesday, trying to secure some final votes.
Diaz-Balart, who is seeking his fourth term, is facing a tough, well-financed competitor in Democrat Joe Garcia, but Diaz-Balart insists his record has earned him the right to stay in office.
This race has garnered national attention. Some analysts believe if Diaz-Balart can hold onto his seat, Republicans in other tight races across the country have a good chance.
For his part, Diaz-Balart is confident he's not going anywhere.
With his wife Tia, ever present by his side, Mario Diaz-Balart shook hands, greeted supporters and pushed for last minute votes at the South Kendall Community Church, where hundreds of people stood in line to vote.
"This is a day when our country dresses in its finest colors," said Diaz-Balart.
The candidate was all smiles and remained positive on this Election Day but his campaigning against Democratic challenger Joe Garcia has been aggressive to say the least.
With or without attack ads, Diaz-Balart says his record of bringing growth and jobs to South Florida, and his promises for the future, will be enough to keep him in office.
"We have to become energy independent, we have to fix this economy, we have to make sure we provide more jobs, we have to make healthcare a lot more affordable, so that's why I'm running for re-election and that's why I'm asking one more time for people's support," said Diaz-Balart.
Diaz-Balart is so confident that he'll keep his seat, he's calling his party Tuesday night at headquarters a "Victory Party."
Meanwhile, Diaz-Balart's Democrat challenger, Joe Garcia is also planning a victory speech Tuesday night at the Sand Bar in Kendall. The former Florida Public Service Commission Chairman took advantage of every last moment on Election Day, talking to voters at the polls.
Garcia ran an aggressive campaign against Diaz-Balart. "According to my Mom, I'm winning and ahead," said Garcia.
The Democratic Congressional Committee felt this was such an important race that it donated more than a million dollars hoping to defeat both Mario Diaz-Balart and his brother Lincoln Diaz-Balart who is running to keep his seat in District 21, against former Hialeah mayor Raul Martinez.
Garcia has also proved to be a competitive fundraiser, but he has also called this race a big gamble. He raised $1.48 million compared to Mario Diaz-Balart's $1.7 million.
Garcia's campaign focused more on the economy and less on issues that traditionally have worked in the past like relations with Cuba. Garcia once headed a state agency that deregulated Florida's telephone industry and once led the Cuban American National Foundation.
Joe Garcia's final Message, "Tomorrow we are all Americans and we have to work together to solve these problems."
Garcia has called this race a gamble, either his district is ready for change or not. Tuesday night he hopes his gamble pays off.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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