Nov 4, 2008 6:16 pm US/Eastern
Taddeo Challenging Ros-Lehtinen For District Seat
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Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Has Been In Congress For 19 Years
She's Being Challenged By Annette Taddeo
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Annette Taddeo is challenging Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for U.S. District Seat 18.
ANNETTE2008.COM/CBS
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She's been in Congress nearly two decades and she has no intention of losing her seat, but this year Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, 56, has been challenged for the 18th Congressional District by Annette Taddeo.
Ros-Lehtinen (R) says during her time on Capitol Hill she's built a solid reputation as a fighter for South Florida with a long list of accomplishments and she hopes to be returned to office based on her record and a sense of unfinished business.
Ros-Lehtinen stopped by the Miami-Dade Elections Department in Doral on Tuesday where she said her first priority is the economy. It'll be addressed at a special session of Congress November 17th.
"I want to be there to vote for a package that will stimulate the economy, extend unemployment benefits, help people from losing their homes," said Ros-Lehtinen.
Ros-Lehtinen's Democratic opponent Annette Taddeo shook hands with voters at an American Legion Hall and stressed what her campaign ad announces, "Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and George Bush are 2 peas in a pod," touts one of Taddeo's political ads.
"I think voters have heard they have another option than Ileana Ros-Lehtinen after 19 years, 8 years of Bush, and how we can step away," said Taddeo on Election Day.
Ros-Lehtinen, the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress, has fought back against her challenger.
"She has distorted my record. I guess that's the way games are played," said Ros-Lehtinen. "I have brought in federal dollars to all sorts of projects from the Miami River to hospitals. And there's nothing better than seeing a senior citizen get a meal because of what I've done."
Newcomer Taddeo has other plans. "We just wanted to say we need to go in a new direction, we need a new beginning," said Taddeo.
Taddeo says she's an independent thinker who fights for small business. Ros-Lehtinen says she is a grass roots, down-home legislator with a proven track record.
Ros-Lehtinen is a ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, an anti-communist hard liner who is now fighting to resuscitate the economy.
Taddeo, who is married and the mother of a 2-year-old girl, has served on the Democratic National Committee's Business Council and run her own translation business. She believes much better health care insurance is needed for children and wants to end the Iraq conflict soon.
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