There will be no comeback bid for former Rep. David Rivera (R-Fla.), who announced Friday he was ending his short-lived campaign.
{mosads}His decision is a relief for national Republicans, who weren’t enthused when the one-term congressman surprisingly filed to run again two months ago. Rivera is currently under federal investigation for his ties to a campaign finance scheme in which he and his allies allegedly funneled money to a Democratic candidate in a 2012 race to bash now-Rep. Joe Garcia (D).
Carlos Curbelo, a member of the School Board of Miami-Dade County, is the favorite to win next month’s GOP primary in the competitive district.
Rivera attributed his change of heart to Thursday’s decision by a Circuit Court Judge to overturn parts of Florida’s congressional map, saying he would instead run for the state House in 2016.
“As a congressional candidate affected by this decision, I will not be held hostage by Florida’s liberal activist judges,” Rivera said in an email to supporters.
The ruling only affected two Orlando and Jacksonville-area congressional districts though, and it is unlikely new lines would be in place by November’s elections.