Like many GOP candidates across the nation, including his pal former House Speaker Marco Rubio, House budget chief David Rivera is working the conservative angle in his Congressional run to replace U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart.

Rivera was in Palm Beach County on Friday at a Club For Growth meeting at The Breakers.

He met with U.S. Rep. Tom Price, Chairman of the “Republican Study Committee,” the self-proclaimed “Caucus of House Conservatives.” Rivera said Price, a Georgia doctor who’s in charge of recruiting Congressional candidates in the South, promised to give his campaign a hand and gave him tips on how to woo other conservatives.

Rivera’s expected opponent, Senate Republican Leader Alex Diaz de la Portilla, hasn’t officially entered the race yet. Diaz-Balart is jumping from his district to his brother Lincoln’s, a safer GOP seat. U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart isn’t seeking re-election this year.

“We discussed several policy issues, including health care reform as well as the overall political landscape and outlook for Republicans in the upcoming election,” Rivera, R-Miami, said.

Deutch: 10-to-1 money edge over Dem primary foe

Democratic state Sen. Ted Deutch has piled up nearly $1 million in campaign contributions for the race and spent $684,578 while his rival in the Feb. 2 Democratic primary, Ben Graber, says he has raised and spent around $100,000.

In the GOP primary, contractor Ed Lynch reports that he has raised $59,277, including $19,500 of his own money, and spent $50,175. But Lynch’s report says he has $84,455 in cash on hand because of money carried over from his losing 2008 campaign.

Republican candidate Joe Budd raised $23,142, including $10,000 of his own money. A third GOP candidate, Curt Price, raised $2,411 from contributors and kicked in $53,500 of his own money.

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GOP congressional hopeful Curt Price, one of three candidates in the Feb. 2 Republican primary for the congressional District 19 seat, will begin airing his first TV spot on cable Friday, his campaign says.

With Price, Joe Budd and Ed Lynch all running on conservative platforms, Price highlights his biography as “son of a shoe salesman,” former cop and small business owner who has “lived the American dream” and who pledges to vote against any bill that expands government.

Check out some of the other District 19 candidate ads here and here.

Republican congressional hopeful Joe Budd moved to Florida after a business failure left him $600,000 in debt. That information comes not from an opponent’s attack ad but from Budd himself in his first 30-second spot before the Feb. 2 special GOP primary.

Budd, who often brings up the the business setback on the campaign trail, says he does so to highlight character issues and to let voters know he understands tough economic times.

“Instead of filing bankruptcy, I worked hard and sacrificed to pay it off,” he says in the ad. “…I understand your fears and concerns, having lived through them myself.”

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Wexler

When U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler and some other Democrats voted against cutting off federal money to scandal-plagued liberal group ACORN, they argued that de-funding the group was an unconstitutional “bill of attainder.”

The measure passed on a 345-75 vote with local U.S. Reps. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, and Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, in favor, Wexler opposed and U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, answering “present.”

Now ACORN has filed a federal suit challenging the congressional action on bill-of-attainder grounds.

Both stances put Craft in opposition to freshman U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, whom Craft hopes to unseat in 2010. They also put Craft, who’s running as a moderate in Republican-leaning District 16, at odds with many centrist Democrats in the House.

The health care bill passed on a 220-to-215 vote, with 39 Democrats breaking with House leadership and President Obama to oppose the bill.

The abortion amendment, offered by U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., passed on a 240-to-194 vote, with 64 Democrats joining the entire Republican caucus in support.

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Rooney’s Democratic challenger, St. Lucie County Commissioner Chris Craft, slammed the incumbent for that.

Read Craft’s statement after the jump….

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Wexler

Wexler is leaving in the middle of his seventh term to head the nonprofit Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation.

Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher and Broward County Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes want the special election to fill Wexler’s Palm Beach-Broward seat to be on March 9, which would coincide with municipal election dates in both counties.

No word yet from Crist’s office on the dates for the special primary and general election dates.

Read the text of Wexler’s letter after the jump…..

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Graber: Tough time in Dem clubland

County Dem Chairman Mark Alan Siegel says club presidents have complained to him that Graber is “being a bully” in his requests for speaking time. Wexler and the party establishment are backing state Sen. Ted Deutch in the special election to replace Wexler, who’s leaving in January to head a Middle East-focused think tank.

While Graber’s is finding it tough to get speaking time in clubland, Deutch generally has an easier time getting the microphone because he’s a sitting legislator.

Read about it here in this week’s Politics column.

Comedian Jackie Mason backs Republican Ed Lynch in the special congressional race to replace U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, in the heavily Democratic, heavily Jewish Palm Beach-Broward District 19.

“He’s a great humanitarian, even though he’s not Jewish. How often to you see a Gentile who’s a great humanitarian? He happens to be Hispanic, but he’s crazy about Israel and he would do anything for Israel,” says Mason, who also lauds Lynch’s business experience and stance on health care in the video.

Lynch, who got 27.2 percent last year against Wexler, says he met Mason after the election. He said Mason’s mother-in-law lives in District 19. Wexler is leaving in January to head the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation.

Deutch: piling up early money, endorsements

WEST PALM BEACH — Appearing with a dozen Democratic elected officials a few blocks away from potential rival Lois Frankel’s office, state Sen. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, said his congressional campaign has already topped $100,000 in contributions since setting up a campaign web site late Thursday.

Deutch is running for the seat of U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton, who last week announced he’s stepping down in January to head the nonprofit Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation.

Deutch’s campaign today announced endorsements from 16 elected Democrats. Most of them stood behind Deutch outside the Palm Beach County Governmental Center this morning. The endorsers include County Commissioner Burt Aaronson, who said he gave “a lot of thought” to running for Wexler’s seat.

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West: spending big on direct mail

West raised a meager $583,877 for his 2008 race and got 45.3 percent of the vote against Klein, who spent more than $2.3 million.

This time around, West has already raised $543,808 . But so far, West isn’t socking away that money. He has already spent $336,427. More than $230,000 of that figure has gone to direct-mail consultants and services.

West and consultant Ed Brookover say they hope the early expenditures pay off by next fall in the form of a steady revenue stream from contributors around the U.S.

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The event will take place at 11:30 a.m. outside the Palm Beach County Governmental Center — a block or so away from the office of West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel, who’s considering entering the congressional race herself.

In addition to Frankel, the other big question mark is Broward County Mayor Stacy Ritter.

Read the list of Deutch’s endorsers after the jump…..

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Read about it in this week’s Politics column…..

Wexler

Wexler announced this week he’s resigning in the middle of his seventh term to head a Middle East-focused nonprofit. A special election will fill his seat.

Wexler chief of staff and consultant Eric Johnson said his boss hasn’t decided what to do with the money, but is likely to keep a chunk of it in an open campaign account.

While state campaign accounts must be liquidated within 90 days of the end of a campaign, there’s no such requirement for federal accounts. Former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, for instance, still has nearly $1.2 million in his campaign account more than three years after he resigned. Candidates are not allowed to divert campaign money for personal use.

Craft, who entered the race in early August, raised $61,605 through Sept. 30, according to a report filed today. His campaign ended the quarter with $51,546 in the bank. Rooney raised $114,655 during the quarter and has $247,416 on hand.

Congressional money-raising reports are due by midnight tonight.

Republican Allen West, who’s challenging U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, raised $281,508 during the quarter and has $257,416 on hand. Klein’s report has not yet been filed. He began the quarter with nearly $2 million in the bank.

Now the Wexler proteges could battle each other for their mentor’s congressional seat.

Boca Raton Sen. Deutch and Coral Springs Sen. Ring are among the half dozen or more Democrats who might enter a special election for Wexler’s Palm Beach-Broward congressional seat when Wexler steps down in January to head a Middle East think tank.

Wexler remains close to Deutch and Ring, but a Democratic insider said Wexler is likely to endorse Deutch as his replacement.

Other prominent Democrats eyeing the race include West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel, Broward County Mayor Stacy Ritter, former Broward Mayor Ben Graber and former Boca Raton state Rep. Irving Slosberg.

The winner of the Democratic primary will likely claim the seat in a district where Democrats hold more than a 2-to-1 registration edge over Republicans and no GOP candidate has received more than 34.4 percent since 1996.

Primary and general election dates will be set after Gov. Charlie Crist receives a resignation letter from Wexler.

Graber, who got 6.6 percent against Wexler last year as a no-party candidate, announced today he will run as a Democrat in the special election.

Other potential candidates said they were in soul-searching mode.

“I have to talk to my friends and family and see what’s in my heart,” said Frankel.

“I am talking to community members, I am talking to leaders all across my district and most importantly I am talking to my family,” said Deutch, who expects to make an announcement Thursday.

Ring said he is “absolutely investigating it, considering it. I should have a decision this weekend.”

Ritter said she’ll make a decision next week.

With about 71 percent of District 19 voters in Palm Beach County, Broward candidates Ring and Ritter both said they would have to analyze whether multiple Broward candidates would hurt each other and maximize Palm Beach County’s advantage.

Wexler: resigning in January

The Boca Raton Democrat and self-described “fire-breathing liberal” confirmed he will resign in January to become president of the nonprofit Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation.

S. Daniel Abraham

Wexler’s early support of Barack Obama’s presidential bid fueled speculation he might be in line for an Obama administration appointment. But Wexler said he never had any serious talks about such a job.

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Deutch

Wexler himself wasn’t ready to make any endorsements today as he confirmed he’s leaving Congress in the middle of his seventh term to become president of the nonprofit Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation.

Wexler has a long history of getting involved in Democratic primaries and other local races. His most memorable activity was probably his successful 2004 effort to topple former elections chief Theresa LePore and install Arthur Anderson. Wexler later cooled on Anderson and was neutral when Anderson lost his reelection bid last year to Susan Bucher.

In 2006, Wexler backed Deutch in a Democratic state Senate primary and helped him defeat better-known, better-financed state Rep. Irving Slosberg. At the same time, Wexler was instrumental in Jeremy Ring’s victory over Ben Graber in a Democratic state Senate primary in Broward County. Now Deutch and Ring are among the candidates considering running for Wexler’s congressional seat.

Wexler hinted he’ll make an endorsement soon.

“I have been known to get involved in primaries before, both to people’s happiness and chagrin…I’ve done it before. I care deeply about the person who will replace me and lead this community in Congress, so we’ll leave that for another day,” Wexler said.

U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan will join U.S. Reps. Robert Wexler, Ron Klein and Mario Diaz-Balart tomorrow on a tour of a Boynton Beach doctor’s home contaminated by Chinese drywall.

The entourage, which includes state Sen. Ted Deutch, will visit Steve and Jennifer Robert’s home in Cobblestone Creek. The Roberts’ daughter has been afflicted with frequent respiratory infections possibly caused by the toxic drywall.

Palm Beach County officials, including Wexler and Klein, have pushed Congress to do something about the tainted building product, as has U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.

s had on the lives of the Roberts family, who own a home in the community of Cobblestone Creek. Dr. Steve Roberts and his wife Jennifer Roberts have struggled with their 16 month-old daughter’s frequent respiratory infections, and the fact that their home has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in value as a result of this toxic product.

WHO:
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan
Congressman Robert Wexler
Congressman Mario-Diaz Balart
Congressman Ron Klein
State Senator Ted Deutch

WHAT:
Press Availability Following Tour of Home

WHERE:
The home of Dr. Steve Roberts and Jennifer Roberts
10013 Cobblestone Creek Drive, Boynton Beach, FL

WHEN:
Tuesday, October 13, 10:30-11:30 am