As expected, Annette Taddeo makes Congress her fourth try

As expected, Annette Taddeo makes Congress her fourth try
  • Sumo

carlosannetteExtra, extra! Stop the presses! Annette Taddeo is running for Congress!

Really? Is this news?

Taddeo made the official announcement Monday morning but already over the weekend, bloggers were abuzz about it. Why? What else is she going to do? She had to run for something. It’s like a bad habit already.

A perennial candidate, Taddeo — who has run three times unsuccessfully — apparently wants to be a professional campaigner.

Who did not see this coming? After all, beating one-term Congressman Carlos “Crybaby” Curbelo, who only beat former Congressman Joe Garcia last year because the latter was in the midst of a scandal,is probably the best shot yet she’s got at getting elected to something, anything. And the former chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party been preparing for it almost as soon as losing her last race in November, meeting with fundraisers and Democrats in D.C.

Read related story: Joe Garcia goes private, leaves FL26 to fresher meat

Taddeo’s announcement positions her as “a small business owner and a working mom who has lived in South Florida for over 30 years.”

What it doesn’t say is that she just came off a loss as the lieutenant charlieannettegovernor running mate for former Gov. Charlie Crist. That was her third strike. The one before that was a county commission race in 2010 where she didn’t even get in the runoff. And the time before that was also a congressional run, against U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

She’s either tenacious or delusional.

“As she built her company into one of the top small businesses in the country, Annette worked hard, pressed on through setbacks, and never gave up fighting for the issues she believed in. In Congress, she’ll use that same perseverance to advocate for her constituents – no challenge is too big and she will never let partisan politics get in the way,” her statement says, adding that LanguageSpeak, her translating services company, has been named one of the top 100 small businesses in Florida and one of the top 500 small businesses in the United States.

Read related story: Annette Taddeo featured in her first Charlie Crist ad

The rest of the announcement was like a soundbite soundtrack. Count the buzz words and phrases. I count at least 10:

  • “From Key West to Homestead – from Kendall to Marathon – people have told me they want a representative who will advocate for the values and unique needs of our diverse South Florida community. I’m running to make sure that everyone in South Florida gets a fair shot to succeed.”
  • “Right now, too many hard-working families are facing unfair burdens that keep them from a chance at the American dream, but Congress just doesn’t get it. When Washington gets caught up in dysfunction, it affects small businesses and families right here in South Florida.
  • “Having worked minimum wage jobs, juggled child-care, and felt the pressure of balancing the books and making payroll – I understand the struggles South Florida families are going through right now. And having built a successful small business from the ground-up, I know what it takes to overcome the odds, bring people together, and get results.
  • “I want to use my experience in small business and our community to get things done for South Florida and be a voice for all of us in Congress.

Look, Ladra wants to take out the whiny little conflict-of-interest loving, client-hiding, fence-straddling, lie-to-your-face Curbelo just as much as anybody in the Democratic Party. Maybe more. But I just think voters have told Taddeo time and again that they don’t like her cup of Colombian coffee.

Is it going to change now that she is such an obvious carpet bagger?

 

24 Responses to "As expected, Annette Taddeo makes Congress her fourth try"

  1. To Mr. Sunshine,

    Yes, JJR did, indeed, hold on to his seat.

    But barely.

    For someone with such impressive credentials, as well as his legislative accomplishments during his first 2 years as State Rep to “squeak-by” IN a Liberal-leaning district, is very telling.

    The fact that he is a popular incumbent who was “hugely outspent” just goes to show that if Ms. Taddeo had remained at the helm of the local Democratic Party, and used her dual position as Vice Chair of Florida Democrats, not only would JJR have the necessary funds to literally “blow-out” DDL, he would have more Democratic colleagues in Tally by now.

    Just sayin’

  2. JJR held his own in a republican dominated district that was targeted by the party. He was hugely outspent, yet still won. That’s some pretty amazing work and a testament to his credibility within his home turf.

    Don’t know if that leads to bigger things in the future, but I for one hope it does.

  3. To Cmon Ladra,, The difference between Taddeo and Dominguez is that Dominguez has helped hundreds of elderly people in his district secure over 5 million dollars to renovate their horrible living conditions. My mom is one of them he helped! He has also never accepted $$$ from lobbyists or special interests when he ran against Jose Javier, Frank Carollo, and Pedro Garcia.( even though he knew was at a disadvantage STUBBORN)For those reasons I volunteered to help his campaign in 2014. I like Annette Tadeo from what I have seen on TV about her and what I have read, although I have never seen her involved in the community before she ran for Vice Governor. She has also accepted help and cash from her own party and special interest $$$ and still lost 3 times. Big difference between the two.

  4. and she has Lourdes Diaz of all people doing a fundraiser for her. the kiss of death. that lady has never won anything for any candidate. Geez…

  5. To Thomas,

    Jose Javier Rodriguez? Isn’t he the State Rep who barely held on to his seat just a few months ago?

    Yes, he’s a pretty good guy, but let’s first make sure he can actually keep his current seat a few times before going after bigger fish.

    After all, Congressional races are serious business.

  6. What other candidate can the DEMS run? There’s no new blood in the Fla. Dem. Party that has a even a moderate chance of winning. That’s because, with very few exceptions, the Fla. Dem. Party is eviscerated. And so we get retreads like Taddeo. I would much rather see Jose Javier Rodriguez run against Curbelo. Jose is not perfect–in particular he needs to acquire a little more finesse when dealing with donors and people who sponsor events for him–but he’s smart and seems to have a backbone when it comes to policy.

  7. I guess she just wants to hold some elected position……any position…..commission, LG, Congress……little scary

  8. Other than taking credit for other seats that have been won not by her, or her hard work. And a very boring TV show that hopefully will not come back. Does she really stand for something (or does she follow the party line? ) How sad, she seems to be intelligent but common sense is not her cup of tea. She is known by her name, her repetitive loses, she dresses well and can read of a teleprompter. If you really believe your own words ( I don’t )serve the community you live in by participating.

  9. I will give her only ONE thing…perseverance…she never gives up and apparently doesn’t give a crap what people say about her – in this however, her credibility would suffer. The bottom line here is $$$$ and as said on this board, not too many are going to send any funds AGAIN to back her up. Enough is enough.

  10. Okay, to start with, I don’t drink Kool-Aid. Unless it’s laced with Kettle One.

    And Ladra has NOT been taken by any party’s “empty argument.” It is MY argument, empty or not, and if the Republican Party steals it, God help them. Because I have been saying it for months. I have nothing against Annette, well I have one thing against her: It seems she just wants to be elected to office — ANY office. County commission, congress, state. It doesn’t matter. Looks like the only thing she hasn’t tried is School Board and Pinecrest Village Council. That seems to me to be more like the behavior of a professional politician than a public servant.

    People go into public service, or offer themselves up unselfishly for office, to make a difference somewhere, usually with something in particular. In their community, in their state, in their country. But they have an idea of the difference they want to make. Annette seems to think she’s a one candidate fit all. She’d make as good a congressmember as she would an LG? Or a county commissioner? These are such vastly different jobs that one has to wonder why she is going into public service to begin with. Is it for education? Quality of life issues? Is it for foreign policy?

    Oh, wait, I know. It’s for a title. And that’s the difference — and the problem.

    I agree with those who think that she did well with the local party and should go back to community organizing. She’s relatively young.

    And who knows? Maybe in 10 years she can run for president?

    Love, Ladra

    • Thanks, Ladra. I was going to respond to Mario’s comment but after reading your response to him, you took the words right out of my mouth.

      You are exactly on point.

      On other blogs, there are actually people suggesting that she run only to be a “place holder” for a real candidate – Commissioner Cava.

      Although I believe that Taddeo may have run out of lives in seeking elected office right now, I can assure you, she has no intention of being a “place holder” for anyone.

      What Gaul!

    • I don’t buy it. The way you report on Alex Dominguez, for example. The guy ran for State House, City Commission and then Property Appraiser but you didn’t make an entire post about how he’s a loser. If anything you snipe at him but ultimately encouraging. So why the double standard?

  11. Who cares many times a person runs? If he or she wants to serve more power to them. Besides unless you have a legacy last name your probably going to have to run a few times just to get name recognition. Ladra your way off with your thinking. According to you the DLP’s would never run again? How many times have they lost? How many times did Xavier Suarez run before he broke through. Using the perennial argument makes you look like one of the uneducated in our county. The fact that someone wants to run for public office is admirable.

  12. I like Annette. She was a great chair of the party. And I despise Curbelo – and anyone who finds loopholes to hide the clients they lobby for.

    But cmon Ladra, you drank the Republican kool aid. The worst thing they can say about Annette is that she has run too many times??? lol, cmon! And that she’s a carpetbagger? My goodness, Pinecrest is 2 blocks away from the district. Cmon now. You’re a much sharper political commentator than to be taken by empty attacks without any substance.

    • Ladra did not drink the kool aid, she simply observed the same things I have and came to the same conclusion. Annette is a nice lady, but clearly is a loser.

      I write large checks to Democrats all over the country and I will not give another one to Annette!

  13. God Help Us. Annette is a friend of mine, but, how much more money can I waste on one candidate. She is a perpetual loser. Joe Garcia has a better shot at winning this race. If I was carlos curbelo, I would be thankful Annette is his opponent.

  14. Democrats CAN do better than this!

    I’ve been watching Mrs. Taddeo-Goldstein’s “journey” ever since she ran against Ros-Lehtinen in 2008, and lost big time in the year of the “Messiah.” Then, she whined that she could have unseated the Republican if only the DNC gave her more money.

    Then, immediately after President Obama won, she tried hard to become the Administrator of Obama’s Small Business Administration (SBA) but was rejected for the post (maybe it had something to do with all that whining, who knows. But the end result is the same – even Obama rejected her!)

    She then tried her “savvyness” at an open County Commission seat only to come in 3rd behind 2 unremarkable municipal mayors.

    She then become the Chair of the local Democrats and here, I do give her credit. She did revitalize the party and recruited some talent to go up against all state Repub incumbents. But then, when Charlie (which Party do I belong to today?) came a knockin’, she left all her recruits in the field to fend for themselves instead of backing her up. Hell, even Jose Javier Rodriguez almost got shown the door last November (thanks, Annie!).

    To quote Francis Underwood – “for some people, its simply the size of the chair.”

    But to add insult to injury, as Crist’s # 2, all she had to do was to turn out the Hispanic vote. She didn’t do even do that! Please.

    And now, even before “Carlitos” (a very moderate Repub) has a chance at a record that can be bashed later, here she comes again, Seriously?

    This history only proves one thing to me. She does not care about “Representin’.” All she cares about is getting a position ANY position, regardless of whether its the right fit or not.

    That’s called unadulterated “Blind Ambition.” And people see through that after a while.

    My advice, go back to being Chair of the Dems and recruit quality candidates and back them up. Then, after a few notable victories under your belt, go after the prize.

    Does anybody have Ana Rivas-Logan’s # or even Annie Betancourt’s. Now, there’s a woman with some “Gravitas.”

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