Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.), one of Democrats' top Congressional targets in 2012, now has a politically-experienced challenger running against him.
West Palm Beach mayor Lois Frankel (D) announced Monday she will challenge West in a race that will highly watched next year, both because of the competitive nature of his district and the congressman's penchant for provocative statements.
West Palm Beach mayor Lois Frankel (D) announced Monday she will challenge West in a race that will highly watched next year, both because of the competitive nature of his district and the congressman's penchant for provocative statements.
Frankel, who was elected mayor in 2003 after serving 14 years in the state legislature, is term-limited in her current post and will leave office next week - giving her plenty of time to prepare for a race. She ran for the House in 1992, but lost in a primary runoff to Rep. Alcee Hastings(D-Fla.)
When Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) visited the district last month, he didn't meet with Frankel, but said she was someone he had a "strong interest" in talking to her and that she "would be an outstanding member of Congress."
"Congress isn't working for working families. There's too much partisanship and not enough results. We need a Member of Congress who knows how to get things done," Frankel said in a statement announcing her candidacy.
She took a not-too-subtle jab at West in her statement, referring to his popularity with Tea Party organizers and referencing the rousing reception he received at this year's CPAC conference.
I'm not "running for Congress to win favor with the Washington extremists and I am not motivated the same tired partisan fights," Frankel said. "I know this campaign will be hard fought, but I am not afraid of a fight. And I will not be outworked," said Frankel.
She could face a crowded field for the Democratic nomination. Businessman Patrick Murphyannounced his candidacy last week, and Israel met with West Palm Beach Tax Collector Ann Gannon. Former Rep. Ron Klein (D), who lost to West last year, hasn't ruled out running again either, but he recently took a job with a lobbying firm. West won the bitterly-contested race against Klein in 2010 with 54 percent of the vote -- in a district that backed President Obama in 2008 The swing district, though, is likely to be altered in the upcoming redistricting. The National Republican Congressional Committee was quick to seize on Frankel's potential flaws--including a Palm Beach Post editorial that slammed her management style during her time in City Hall. The scathing column said she presided over an "abusive work environment that penalizes opposing opinions" and calling her leadership style "scatterbrained." "If career politician Lois Frankel is said to be abusive to her own employees, one can only imagine how abusive she could be to her constituents who are suffering from a dismal economy," said NRCC spokeswoman Joanna Burgos. "During our current economic crisis, South Floridians need a representative who will listen to them, cut wasteful spending and spur job creation, not someone who can be 'an obstacle' and a 'threat' to South Florida families."
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2011/03/west-palm-beach-mayor-running-against-allen-west-21
When Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) visited the district last month, he didn't meet with Frankel, but said she was someone he had a "strong interest" in talking to her and that she "would be an outstanding member of Congress."
"Congress isn't working for working families. There's too much partisanship and not enough results. We need a Member of Congress who knows how to get things done," Frankel said in a statement announcing her candidacy.
She took a not-too-subtle jab at West in her statement, referring to his popularity with Tea Party organizers and referencing the rousing reception he received at this year's CPAC conference.
I'm not "running for Congress to win favor with the Washington extremists and I am not motivated the same tired partisan fights," Frankel said. "I know this campaign will be hard fought, but I am not afraid of a fight. And I will not be outworked," said Frankel.
She could face a crowded field for the Democratic nomination. Businessman Patrick Murphyannounced his candidacy last week, and Israel met with West Palm Beach Tax Collector Ann Gannon. Former Rep. Ron Klein (D), who lost to West last year, hasn't ruled out running again either, but he recently took a job with a lobbying firm. West won the bitterly-contested race against Klein in 2010 with 54 percent of the vote -- in a district that backed President Obama in 2008 The swing district, though, is likely to be altered in the upcoming redistricting. The National Republican Congressional Committee was quick to seize on Frankel's potential flaws--including a Palm Beach Post editorial that slammed her management style during her time in City Hall. The scathing column said she presided over an "abusive work environment that penalizes opposing opinions" and calling her leadership style "scatterbrained." "If career politician Lois Frankel is said to be abusive to her own employees, one can only imagine how abusive she could be to her constituents who are suffering from a dismal economy," said NRCC spokeswoman Joanna Burgos. "During our current economic crisis, South Floridians need a representative who will listen to them, cut wasteful spending and spur job creation, not someone who can be 'an obstacle' and a 'threat' to South Florida families."
http://www.nationaljournal.com/blogs/hotlineoncall/2011/03/west-palm-beach-mayor-running-against-allen-west-21