Florida House of Representatives
In 1994,Incumbent Democratic State Representative Art Simon opted to challenge State Comptroller Gerald A. Lewis in the Democratic primary rather than seek re-election. [5] Betancourt ran to succeed him in the 116th District,based in Kendall [6] and faced Ed Blanco and John Svadbik in the Democratic primary. [7] She won the primary in a landslide,receiving 65 percent of the vote to Svadbik's 18 percent and Bianco's 17 percent. [8] In the general election,Betancourt faced Republican nominee Peter Gonzalez,an aide to County Commissioner Miguel Díaz de la Portilla and the Republican nominee. [9] She defeated Gonzalez in a landslide,receiving 57 percent of the vote to his 43 percent, [10] becoming the first Cuban-American Democrat in the State House since 1925. [11]
In 1996,Betancourt ran for re-election,and was challenged by Dulce Cuetara,an aide to State Representative Bruno Barreiro. [12] Republicans targeted Betancourt's seat as they sought to win a majority in the State House, [13] but she won re-election in a landslide,receiving 60 percent of the vote to Cuetera's 40 percent. [14] She was challenged by police detective Frank Carollo,the brother of Miami Mayor Joe Carollo,in 1998, [15] and won re-election by a wide margin, [16] receiving 65 percent of the vote. [17]
Betancourt ran for re-election to a fourth term in 2000,and was challenged by former state legislative aide Alina Garcia,the Republican nominee. [18] Betancourt emphasized her experience in the legislature,and entered the race as the clear frontrunner ultimately defeating Garcia in a landslide, [19] winning 58 percent of the vote. [20]
2002 congressional campaign
Betancourt was term-limited in 2002,and ran for Congress in the newly created 25th congressional district. [21] She defeated Reporter Lorna Virgili in the Democratic primary in a landslide,winning 71 percent of the vote, [22] and advanced to the general election,where she faced Republican State Representative Mario Díaz-Balart. [23]
During the campaign,Betancourt challenged the United States embargo against Cuba,which she argued had "failed miserably," becoming one of the first Cuban-American politicians to publicly denounce the embargo. [24]
However,despite polls suggesting a close race,Díaz-Balart defeated Betancourt in a landslide,winning 65 percent of the vote. [25]
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