Wasserman Schultz’s opponent sees Cantor-like opportunity
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s Democratic primary opponent indicated Monday he sees some parallels between the Florida race and the 2014 matchup that forced a top House leader out of his seat.
“There’s a big anti-incumbent wave in this country. I saw it start two years ago when Eric Cantor, the second-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, lost to a college professor who he outraised by 40-to-1,” Tim Canova said Monday on MSNBC, referring to the former House majority leader.
{mosads}”And you are a college professor trying to do exactly the same,” MSNBC’s Kate Snow interjected.
“Well, that is true,” Canova responded.
The law professor’s campaign in the Sunshine State’s 23rd Congressional District against Wasserman Schultz, who serves as the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, has seen a boost following conflict between Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders and Wasseman Schultz.
Sanders backed Canova over the weekend, saying he “clearly” favors Canova in the primary.
“His views are much closer to mine,” Sanders said.
Wasserman Schultz insisted in a Saturday statement she would remain neutral in the presidential race between Sanders and front-runner Hillary Clinton, saying she looked forwarding to working with Sanders “for Democratic victories in the fall.”
“We all watch the news, and we see how divided the party has become, and we can all assess, make our determinations as to whether she’s been playing a unifying role or a divisive role,” Canova said of Wasserman Schultz. “Certainly a large part of the country and of the folks here in South Florida think that she has been playing a very divisive role.”
Regarding the Florida primary, Canova accused some of her allies of trying to “rig” union endorsements in their state. “If that’s any indication of the type of politics that she plays … I can understand why a lot of folks are contributing to my campaign.”
He also dismissed Wasserman Schultz’s strong numbers in Florida, saying “her popularity is a bit of a myth” and noting that the district is safely Democratic. “In 12 years in Congress, she’s never had a primary challenge.”
“She went from studying political campaigning in college to straight into politics and, I think, has a very narrow view of politics and the world as a result,” Canova said, before touting his own background teaching for 20 years, working as an aide on Capitol Hill and practicing law in New York.
Canova accused Wasserman Schultz of being “oblivious” to the tough jobs market, going after her votes in Congress on trade legislation and other issues.
“When you look issue after issue, she is very far from progressive,” he said.
“She’s a drug warrior, she’s been against medical marijuana, she’s for mass incarceration, she’s been taking money from private prison companies and pushing private prison,” he said. “This doesn’t sound like a progressive record to me.”
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