Republican Party

A Diaz-Balart Retires

By Adam Sorensen | @adamsorensen | February 11, 2010 | +

Republican Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida — not to be confused with his brother Mario, who also serves in the Sunshine State’s House delegation — is expected to announce has announced he won’t be running for re-election in November.

The Miami Herald (via Ben Smith) reports this move sets off an elaborate electoral game of musical chairs, with Mario Diaz-Balart considering switching districts to run in his brother’s stead, and Democrats eying the 21st and 25th as potential pick-ups.

Despite now having 18 members of the House call it quits this year, the Republican party has lost relatively few incumbents in competitive districts. This retirement creates a sorely-needed opportunity for Democrats in what they expect to be a rough cycle.

Update: It’s official. Lincoln Diaz-Balart has announced his retirement and Mario will run for his brother’s seat.

Related Topics: 2012 Election, Congress, Democratic Party, Republican Party

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  • grape_crush

    Can I get a, “Republicans are dropping like flies” from ya? No?

  • kevin

    You know, 18 retirements is a lot — that’s more than 10% of the House Republican caucus.
    .
    It’s five more than the Democrats have retiring from a much larger group, and yet all we hear from the media is how the Democrats are “dropping like flies” and nothing similar about the much larger losses in the GOP.

  • Ivy_B

    kevin, Didn’t you get the memo? It doesn’t matter if there are many more GOP retirements than Democratic retirements, everything is always bad for the Democrats.

  • Matt

    GOP retirements in the House are turning into a serious epidemic for the party. How are they supposed to regain control of Congress when 20 veterans are stepping aside opening up competitive races?

    http://www.political-buzz.com/

  • slowp

    Maybe Diaz-Balart has seen that being a quitter seems to be working out for the dumbest woman in America.

  • kbanginmotown

    The Dems picking up two seats in FL? Is this positive fallout from 2008′s “The Great Schlep”?

  • Ivy_B

    If so, credit to Sarah – S., not P!

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