Former Republican Party Presidential nominee Mitt Romney will likely be photographed later today 
sipping cafe cubano in front of scores of rolling TV cameras and news people to prove that (1) he loves us Latins after all, even though we pretty much cost him the 2012 election and (2) Miami-Dade School Board Carlos Curbelo is the best candidate out of five on the GOP primary to send against Democrat U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia in November’s general election.
Is anybody buying either?
This is perhaps Romney’s first attempt since 2012 to reach out to Florida Hispanics and it comes just as his potential rematch is discussed on a national level? What a happy coincidence, everybody!
Read related story: Did Carlos Curbelo pay for Mitt Romney endorsement?
Romney may be a real “get,” as described by Alex Leary of the Tampa Bay Times, but he only chose Curbelo because he is already the darling of the GOPestablishment (read: clique). What else could Mitt do in one of the most watched, most flippable Congressional races in the country and after Curbelo got the nods from Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, former Gov. Jeb Bush, the Diaz-Balart brothers, former and current Congressmen Lincoln and Mario, who Curbelo worked for — and then tried to sneak a school naming for them just last year (residents said no way) — and Greg Walden, national chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
After all, if Romney has any hopes of ever trying for the White House, he’s going to need them.
That may be what Cutler Bay Mayor Ed MacDougall has repeatedly referred to as Curbelo’s IOUs.
“I never sought any endorsements because I’m going to be there to represent the people of the district, not other elected officials or politicians,” MacDougall told Ladra. “It concerns me that Curbelo has so many 
IOUs with people who never considered, apparently, talking to me or any of the other candidates.”
Former County Commissioner Joe Martinez confirmed that he had never been interviewed or even called by any of those people. He told Ladra that the echoed empty endorsements — which Curbelo seems to need to parade out time and time again — are a desperate attempt to look relevant.
“When you need all these people to do TV and radio ads and to come and speak out on your behalf to get votes, people like Mitt Romney and whoever else you have trotted out, it is because you are lacking in judgement, experience and any substance of your own,” Martinez said.
“What kind of Congressman can you be? He won’t be an individual.”
There’s one glaring endorsement missing and that would be Sen. Marco Rubio‘s. The senator’s old friendship with ex- Tally roommate, former Congressman David Rivera, who is also running on the crowded ballot to get his seat back, might be one reason why he’s stayed away. Another reason might be that 
he still holds a grudge since Curbelo supported Charlie Crist‘s bid for Senator against Rubio.
Several mailers, ads and robocalls have already centered on la traicion to Marco Rubio, and a MacDougall campaign insider told Ladra that voters would be reminded again this week in their mailboxes and in a 60-second spot aired hourly on Radio Mambi starting at 10 a.m. today.
The ad quotes Curbelo from an old Miami Herald story, saying the senator had “a cunning and convenient conservatism that is inconsistent with his record.” It then says that Curbelo is the one with a liberal record.
Curbelo is not only under increasing attack from his opponents in the Aug. 26 primary. The Democrats are also going to try to cash in on the Mitt Romney Monday Spectacular photo op.
Democratic activists were asked to meet at Congressman Garcia’s office Monday afternoon to tailgate to Vicky’s Bakery in West Kendall, where Mitt and Carlitos are going to break pastelitos and toast small businesses in a stereotypical and highly-scripted PR moment that should be an insult to the intelligence of every voter in the district, not just every Hispanic voter.
Read related story: Mitt Romney event for Carlos Curbelo at tax evaders’ home
Ladra suspects there will be fewer (read: zero) cameras or news people at the fundraiser for Curbelo starring Romney that starts shortly after the bakery photo op at the Grove Isle home of Fausto and Remedios Diaz Oliver, two admitted and convicted tax cheats.
It is beyond my comprehension what made Curbelo, a 33-year-old lobbyist whose only claim to fame was being a hangers on of the Diaz-Balart brothers, the best GOP primary choice for the party establishment.
Do they still think Curbelo can win against Garcia, whose campaign will jump on the tax cheats thing and the fact that Curbelo hasn’t had to disclose where he gets his six-figure salary from since he put his company in the name of his wife four years ago, before he ran for school board the first time.
Ladra wonders where are all these big name endorsers going to hide if (read: when) Curbelo loses next Tuesday?
Dems, opponents push back on the Mitt and Carlos show added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
