Looks like former Congressman David “Nine Lives” Rivera is back in the race he said he wanted no part of just weeks ago.
Or that’s what one would surmise from a robocall delivered to some Republican voters in District 26 Wednesday.
Several sources told Ladra that they had received phone calls from a recording of Rivera telling them that it was important to vote and asking them for their support.
But guess what? Rivera, who is still on the ballot, never fully withdrew from the race. He always was careful to say he had “suspended campaigning” for the seat he lost in 2012 to Democrat Joe Garcia.
Read related story: David Rivera’s reasons for leaving FL26 race ring false
Guess that suspension is over.
Rivera, who had said that he was going to focus on a 2016 run for State House, reminded Ladra Thursday that he had only suspended campaigning and that it was due to a state judge ruling that districts had to be redrawn, which he said at the time he would not be held hostage to.
So does this mean we might see mailers, or ads, or bus benches with his familiar face on them in the district? Is he going to campaign, after all.
“Stay tuned,” is all Rivera would say on the matter.
But former Miami-Dade Commmissioner Joe Martinez, one of the other four Republicans on the primary ballot, told Ladra that his mother-in-law got the short call. He wouldn’t speculate on whether Rivera’s sudden reappearance the day after absentee ballots were mailed out would be bad for him or good for him when the results are counted.
“It’s bad for the electorate,” Martinez said. “Either you’re in or you’re out. Either you want the position or you don’t.
“Don’t ‘suspend’ your campaign and then pull votes from somebody who really does want the position,” Martinez added.
Ladra keeps hearing “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash in my head.
“We don’t need indecision in Washington,” Martinez said. “We have plenty of it already.”
David Rivera robocall indicates he ain’t out of race just yet added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
