Ros-Lehtinen latest to face a challenger

BY ALFONSO CHARDY, Miami Herald

Mon, Feb. 11, 2008

Annette Taddeo, a Colombia-born business executive, told The Miami Herald Saturday she will challenge Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for her seat in the U.S. Congress.

''I think voters are hungry for new leadership and they have a chance to change the Bush-Lehtinen approach, which has obviously failed us,'' said Taddeo, 40. ``I'm confident the voters will choose a new direction and that I will win.''

Taddeo's move adds the last piece to a high-stakes Democratic Party election-year strategy to unseat the three incumbent South Florida Republican Cuban-American lawmakers: Lincoln Diaz-Balart, his brother Mario and Ros-Lehtinen.

Raul Martinez, the former Hialeah mayor, announced his candidacy against Lincoln Diaz-Balart on Jan. 22; Joe Garcia, the Miami-Dade Democratic Party chairman and Cuban-American National Foundation member, announced his run against Mario Diaz-Balart last week.

Taddeo's bid is a long shot. She has never run for office and is going against a well-funded congressional leader with a recognized ''brand-name'' -- the first Cuban American and first Hispanic woman in Congress.

''Democrats are testing their hypothesis that there may be a shift happening in the Cuban community, and overall Democrats are trying to put as many House races in play as possible across the country,'' said Nathan Gonzales, political editor for the prestigious Rothenberg Political Report in Washington. ``But Ms. Taddeo is still a long way from proving that this is even a second-tier race.''

Taddeo is undaunted. In a telephone interview, she said South Florida voters ``are yearning for change.''

Ros-Lehtinen, 55, has held congressional office since 1989 when she won a special election to replace legendary Congressman Claude Pepper, who died of cancer.

''I am proud of my work and look forward to helping craft practical solutions for local and national problems,'' Ros-Lehtinen said in a written statement released by her office in response to queries from The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. ``Miami is my hometown, and I am proud to represent all members of our community.''

Federal Election Commission records show Ros-Lehtinen has almost $1.8 million available in campaign funds, the largest ''war chest'' of the three South Florida Cuban-American Republicans. Lincoln Diaz-Balart has more than $900,000 in his campaign account and Mario Diaz-Balart more than $465,000.

Political analysts consider Ros-Lehtinen's district relatively ''safe'' because the largest group of district voters is Republican and because voters have consistently supported Ros-Lehtinen. The 18th congressional district runs roughly from Miami to Key West and includes Miami Beach and Key Biscayne.

The largest bloc of district voters consists of Republicans, 126,152, down by more than 2,400 since the 2006 election. The number of registered Democrats has risen by more than 2,000 -- from 105,400 two years ago. Unaffiliated voters have increased by more than 1,400 to 73,681.

Taddeo's strategists hope the shift will pay off. Ros-Lehtinen is counting on her experience and long record of public service to be tough to beat.

Child of a Cuban exile family, Ros-Lehtinen served in the Florida Legislature before winning the historic 1989 election that sent her to Congress.

Along with the Diaz-Balart brothers, she has worked in Congress to hold a hard-line on Cuba. She's also been a strong advocate for Israel, reflecting the concerns of the many Jewish voters in her district. As the ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, she is a solid supporter of President Bush's strategies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Domestically, she has spearheaded the fight for funds to clean and dredge the Miami River and the Port of Miami and backed the massive Everglades restoration project. Since Monroe County was added to her district in 2002, Ros-Lehtinen has helped secure $35 million in federal funding for the Florida Keys.

In her written statement, Ros-Lehtinen indicated she plans to run on her record and noted several priorities: the economy, healthcare, environment, national security, veterans' healthcare and human rights worldwide.

Ros-Lehtinen is married to Dexter Lehtinen and they have two daughters and two stepchildren. Dexter Lehtinen was the U.S. attorney in Miami when Martinez -- then Hialeah mayor -- was indicted on extortion and racketeering charges in 1990. He was later convicted, but an appeals court threw out the verdict and two subsequent trials ended in hung juries.

Taddeo is the daughter of an Italian-American father from New Jersey and a Colombian mother. Her father was a U.S. military officer who moved to Colombia in the 1960s to help organize a helicopter school. She attended high school and college in Alabama.

She moved to South Florida after Hurricane Andrew devastated her parents' home in South Dade. After helping them rebuild their home, Taddeo founded LanguageSpeak, which provides translation and interpretation services.

Taddeo has also led or served on business advocacy groups like the Women's Chamber of Commerce of Miami-Dade County and the Beacon Council. Last year she became chair of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council's Leadership Forum.

Taddeo said her chief concerns include Iraq, the economy and healthcare. On Cuba, Taddeo said that if elected she would seek to keep the trade embargo, but try to ease or lift 2004 travel restrictions that limit Cuban exile visits to the communist island to see relatives once every three years instead of once a year as before.

Taddeo is married to Eric Goldstein, a sports psychologist and motivational speaker. They belong to Beth David Congregation. She has twin stepdaughters and a daughter.