This paper will outline the legal and policy issues that are pertinent to your election campaign against incumbent Lincoln Diaz-Balart in the 21st U.S. Congressional District of Florida (herein after the 21st District, the District, or the 21st). We start with a general fact summary of the 21st District. This entails the geography, demographics, and voter statistics of the District. Also, background information about the incumbent and challenger, as well as election results from each election for the District seat since Diaz came to office in 1993 will be examined. Next, we will discuss campaign strategy. An outline of how you will conduct your campaign to bring your message to the voters of the 21st will be given. More specifically, your strategy of using your limited financial resources to your benefit by portraying yourself as a populist, compared to the bureaucratic image of Diaz. Then we will consider legal issues that are imperative to every election, such as the right to vote, the applicability of the Voters Rights Act (VHA), districting, gerrymandering, campaign finance, and the Helping America Vote Act (HAVA) will be analyzed. Finally, the most important policy issue to the constituents of the 21st District will be examined: U.S. policy to Cuba. Crafting a policy that appeals to Cuban-Americans of all ages will be the determinative factor in the race for the 21st. However, the War in Iraq will also be briefly addressed. A general background of any subject provides one with a good starting point. Thus, we begin our study there.
[...] On Monday, go to bars and pubs in the southern part of the District and campaign to football fans watching Monday Night Football. Start from the southern part of the District, and advance north. On each day of the week you must “beat the streets.” Project your message to the voters, but more importantly: let the voters see that they can touch you; that they can relate to you; that you are one of them. Develop the trigger thumb like Congressmen Lewis.[22] More than likely, if we walk with the wind day in and day out, the media will likely pay attention occasionally. [...]
[...] The requirements for this are: at least 18 years old, a citizen of the United States, a legal resident of Florida, and a legal resident of the county in which that person wishes to vote.[27] Florida's Constitution disqualifies the mentally incompetent and those convicted of a felony that have not had their civil rights restored.[28] The Clemency Board compromised of the Governor of Florida and three members of the cabinet may restore civil rights.[29] First, although the majority of the District was born in Latin America, specifically Cuba, the qualification of legal residency of the U.S. [...]
[...] Gonzalez, Diaz's opponent in 2004, is not a Roman Catholic (he is not even a Christian), adamantly opposes the war in Iraq, and advocates a complete lifting of the travel and trade ban on Cuba. This clearly explains what he was unable to appeal to the Cuban-American community. See footnote 3 for reference of statistics. See footnote 8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Diaz-Balart. See footnote 8. Id. Id. Id. Id. John Lewis with Michael D'Orso, Walking With the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement (1998). [...]
[...] When crunching the exact numbers of District voters in Miami-Dade County and Broward County, the former is a reflection of the District as a whole, whereas the latter offers some hope for a Democratic candidate.[10] In Broward, registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans to 13,600; roughly by 2,000 voters.[11] Yet, in the 2004 General election for the District, Diaz, a Republican, received 23,504 votes from Broward while his opponent, a Libertarian Democrat, only received 13,527.[12] These numbers do not reflect effective campaigning or political strategy on Diaz's part. [...]
[...] Of the nine positions, five reside in the Department of State and two each in the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.[67] Policy Issues in the 21st District For most of the country, the main issue in the upcoming midterm elections is the War in Iraq. Candidates nationwide, both Democrats and Republicans, are attempting to separate themselves from President Bush and how he has conducted the war in Iraq. Nevertheless, the main issue for Cuban-American voters in south Florida, as always, is policy to Cuba. [...]
APA Style reference
For your bibliographyOnline reading
with our online readerContent validated
by our reading committee
