I smell fear in South Florida.
President Bush will raise money for Lincoln and Mario-Diaz Balart this Friday at a fundraiser in Naples.
The afternoon luncheon will benefit the Diaz-Balart's "Florida Victory Committee," a joint fundraising account the two set up late last month. The account allows the pair -- who face their first significant re-election challenge -- to raise money along with the Republican Party of Florida.
Mario Diaz-Balart's district stretches across the Everglades, into Naples, but his opponent, Joe Garcia, is accusing the Miami Republicans of hiding, noting the fundraiser is "far, far away from our community" and is closed to the press.
"Apparently, Mario Diaz-Balart likes to vote with President Bush and take his money, but he doesn't want to be seen with him in public," Garcia's campaign said in an e-mailed fundraising appeal. "This isn't the first time Mario Diaz-Balart hides from you. A few weeks ago he skipped a debate with Joe Garcia that had been on his calendar for over a month."
Don't you just love Joe Garcia? I love it when Republicans skulk around in the darkness, desperate for Bush's money but paranoid of being seen in the same picture frame or YouTube video with him. And I particularly love it when Democrats keep pointing that out.
Joe Garcia is an Orange to Blue candidate. You can help counter Bush's big dollars with some small dollars of your own. And Joe is certainly a "better" Democrat, right on the two big issues that the current crop of pathetic Democrats in the House can't seem to get right -- Iraq and FISA.
Can we get 100+ new contributors for Garcia? As I write this, our O2B page has 84 contributors for Garcia. Let's get that 200 donors willing to send a message to George W. Bush that his fundraising efforts won't be totally painless. He might be able to raise the huge bucks, but we can help out with money and, just as importantly, help shine a light on Bush's best friends.
On the web:
Joe Garcia for Congress
Raul Martinez for Congress
Orange to Blue ActBlue page