Ladra didn’t really expect the Bendixen and Amandi debate watch party to be bipartisan, even though I was told several high-profile local GOPpers were invited.
Then Jorge Arizurrieta, a member of the Mitt Romney Hispanic leadership team, came in.
Monday, Arizurrieta hobnobbed at Versailles with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Congresspeople Connie Mack and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen — all card-carrying members of his own party. Wednesday, he joined folks like Democratic political consultant Giancarlo Sopo, former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez — whose son, Raulito Martinez, is in charge of getting Obama Florida’s Hispanic vote and joined Sergio Bendixen and Fernan Amandi in hosting an Obama debate watch party in Coconut Grove — and former Miami-Dade Commissioner Katy Sorenson.
Granted, he was the only Republican I saw in the 150 or so people who showed up to B&A shindig in the private VIP screening room at the theater in Cocowalk.
But he felt right at ease.
“I am friends with Sergio [Bendixen] and Fernan [Amandi] and they told me this was a bipartisan thing,” Arizurrieta told Ladra.
“Yeah, I heard that, too. I came looking for Republicans but you are the only one I see.”
“I’m looking for the other one,” Arizurrieta joked back without missing a beat.
“I guess I’m the token.”
But he was not the only token of the night.
Democrat Brian Goldmeier, a fundraiser who helped Florida gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink two years ago and Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Not So Golden Boy” Gimenez in both the recall election last year and this year’s battle with Commission Chairman Joe Martinez, was at the shindig thrown by a group of Republican clubs at The Globe in Coral Gables.
Democrats and Republicans mixing together? Sharing ideas? Conversing cordially? Even agreeing to disagree?
Gee, what a concept. You think Washington was watching that? They could learn something.
Blues and Reds make bipartisan debate watch parties purple added by Ladra on
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