National GOP campaign chair touts Carlos Curbelo in FL26

National GOP campaign chair touts Carlos Curbelo in FL26

Miami-Dade School Board Member Carlos Curbelo, who is already the GOP establishment choice, got some major props Saturday from Congressman Greg Walden (R-Oregon), when the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, the House GOP’s campaign arm, gave the weekly Republican radio address. But Walden has apparently fast-forwarded to the general election in which the GOP hopes to unseat Democrat […]

FL26 Congressional race: Who has the most guns?

FL26 Congressional race: Who has the most guns?

Only two of the five Republican candidates in the congressional primary for District 26 showed up for the Kendall Federation of Homeowners Associations debate Thursday — which was two too many for this group. Whoever wasn’t a campaign plant in the audience was probably a Democrat anyway. Ladra could probably count the Republicans on one […]

Carlos Curbelo keeps mum re 2010 attack on Marco Rubio

Carlos Curbelo keeps mum re 2010 attack on Marco Rubio

One might assume that Sen. Marco Rubio and Miami-Dade School Board Member Carlos Curbelo were thick as thieves.  But they were once enemies. A negative attack on Curbelo financed by the campaign of Cutler Bay Mayor Ed “Mac” MacDougall reminds voters that the one-time political consultant used to work for former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist […]

Congressional race heats up with Cuban credentials critique

Congressional race heats up with Cuban credentials critique

Ladra never thought she would see the day when a 305 politico would actually campaign on the fact that he or she is not Cuban. You avoid bringing attention to that, don’t you? In fact, I’ve seen it used against non-Cuban candidates or even just not as Cuban candidates. As in, “I’m more Cuban than the other […]

Carlos Curbelo keeps poll secret in FL26 race for Congress

Carlos Curbelo keeps poll secret in FL26 race for Congress

Days after former Congressman David “Nine Lives” Rivera jumped into the Congressional Republican primary for District 26, Miami-Dade School Board Member Carlos Curbelo — the establishment choice from months earlier — did a poll that cost him $35,000. And why haven’t we heard a peep about it? Curbelo did not return a phone call to […]

David Rivera’s reasons for leaving FL26 race ring false

David Rivera’s reasons for leaving FL26 race ring false

Former Congressman David “King Nine Lives” Rivera announced Friday that he would “suspend campaigning” that in the congressional primary for his old seat in District 26, and “launch” instead a campaign for a state House seat in 2016. But, while he was mincing words, Rivera told Ladra in a short telephone interview that he had […]

First congressional primary ‘debate’ a dud, even with Rivera

First congressional primary ‘debate’ a dud, even with Rivera

Ladra can’t believe she dragged herself out of her deathbed for this: The first congressional primary debate for the five Republican candidates in District 26, one of the closest watched races in the country, was so boring that even the presence of former Congressman David “King Nine Lives” Rivera couldn’t bring it to life. Rivera, who had not […]

Larry Palomares boasts endorsements he doesn’t have

Larry Palomares boasts endorsements he doesn’t have

Monday was a great day for both Miami-Dade School Board Member Carlos Curbelo and former Miami-Dade Commission Chairman Joe Martinez, who are competing for a chance to unseat Congressman Joe Garcia in District 26, as the two other Republicans in the primary imploded. First former Congressman David Rivera is cited with ethics violations related to double-dipping for […]