October 15, 2018

Send Wasserman Schultz, Diaz-Balart, Mucarsel-Powell and Shalala to Congress

BY MIAMI HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD

DISTRICT 23
Debbie Wasserman Schultz was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004. She has been boldly representing District 23 ever since.

Today, she remains one of the most successful South Florida politicians – and she has bounced back from a rough patch in her political career related to her stint as the Democratic National Committee chairwoman during Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016. That all seems behind her.

This election cycle, she is being challenged for the third time by Republican Joseph Kaufman, a counter-terrorism expert who lives in Broward.

Also in the race: Tim Canova and Don Endriss, both running as No Party Affiliation candidates. The Editorial Board did not endorse Kaufman in the August primary, which he won in a three-way Republican race.

While Wasserman Schultz is well-known for supporting liberal causes, Kaufman is the opposite. He supports President Trump’s aggressive, and regressive, policies and more — a hard sell in Democrat-centric District 23, which takes up most of Broward and stretches down the coast from Dania Beach into Miami Beach.

Canova, a law professor, is going up against her for the second time. In 2016, riding on Bernie Sanders’ wave of support, Canova appeared to pose a real threat to Wassermann Schultz, but lost at the ballot box, proof of her popularity with her constituency.

Wasserman Schultz, who came to her candidate interview wearing patriotic nail color, says these are dangerous times. Why reelection? “It’s a critical time to uphold the Founding Fathers’ intent.’’ She says climate change and sea-level rise are “a reality for Florida;” she supports $15 minimum wage, gun control and environmental protections for the Everglades; she wants to protect Social Security, Medicare and much of the Affordable Care Act.

With her record and seniority, coupled with lackluster opponents, Wasserman Schultz remains the best choice.

The Herald recommends DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ to continue representing Congressional DISTRICT 23.