A couple of points to keep in mind ahead of tonight’s Univision debate in Florida’s 26th Congressional District:
- Carlos Curbelo is entering tonight’s debate and the final weeks of the election in a weakened, defensive crouch – after facing an onslaught of communications surrounding his offensive comments in Washington calling Medicare and Social Security a “Ponzi scheme.”
- In fact, both Curbelo and National Republicans have been forced to completely scrap their paid media strategy, switching from offense to defense as they are forced to defend Curbelo on senior’s issues.
- Curbelo is also reeling from his still developing ethics scandal: after spending weeks refusing to disclose his lobbying company’s clients, news broke that Curbelo’s clients include Ecuadorian fugitives wanted for embezzling millions.
- Meanwhile, Democrats are in the driver’s seat: continuing to attack Curbelo for his “Ponzi scheme” comment, while expanding new lines of attack against Curbelo’s record of slashing education jobs on the School Board.
From David Bergstein of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee: “Two-faced lobbyist Carlos Curbelo is entering the final weeks of the campaign in a weakened, defensive crouch — reeling from the damage he’s inflicted on himself by labeling Social Security and Medicare a ‘Ponzi scheme.’ The more South Floridians learn that Curbelo is only looking out for himself, his paying clients and his Tea Party political allies – the more clear it becomes that Curbelo can’t be trusted in Congress.”