Florida Dems hosting fundraiser for GOP lawmaker

Several prominent south Florida Democrats are hosting a fundraiser for Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo’s (Fla.) reelection bid, the Miami Herald reports. 

The event is being held in the centrist congressman’s Miami district, which is in national Democrats’ sights and competitive.

Among the nine Democrats sponsoring the fundraiser are former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace.

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Other co-hosts include Hillary Clinton donor Ira Leesfield and attorney Roland Sanchez-Medina, who previously worked as the campaign treasurer for Democratic congressional candidate Joe Garcia.

Curbelo, a second-term congressman, defeated Garcia in both 2014 and 2016. He ran unopposed for the Republican primary in 2016. 

“While we don’t agree with him on every issue, he is a voice of reason in an increasingly unreasonably partisan world, he works hard to represent Miami-Dade County in Washington, and, in particular, he is trying to bring both parties together for the good of the country,” Sanchez-Medina told the Miami Herald in an email.

“We are proud to support Carlos.” 

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), a Cuban-American and Miami native, will also fundraise for Curbelo at another event in August, the Herald reports. 

Curbelo already has his first challenger, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D), who announced her bid on Wednesday. Mucarsel-Powell has the support of the national party, the Herald reports.