One of the dirtiest congressional races in the nation, ended as a clear victory Tuesday for incumbent U.S. Rep. Lincoln-Diaz-Balart who beat former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez 117,882 to 86,553 votes.
Speaking to supporters at the Hyatt Regency in Hialeah Tuesday night, Martinez put a game face on his defeat.
"Obama will make sure that the changes I spoke about will live," he said.
The battle between two powerful and prominent Cuban-American leaders ended after each contender portrayed their opponent as sleazy and corrupt.
The battle between Democrat Martinez and Republican Diaz-Balart was more than just Republican vs. Democrat.
The mostly Hispanic Congressional District 21 includes parts of both Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Martinez, 58, came to the race with heavy political baggage.
Convicted in 1991 of a racketeering and extortion case, but the conviction was reversed on appeal and two subsequent trials ended in hung juries. He stepped down in 2005, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family and construction business. This is the first time he ran for office since leaving the mayor's office.
His opponent, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, 53, has seen little or no opposition since he won his congressional seat in. Martinez said Diaz-Balart was aligned with President George W. Bush and did to prevent the Iraq war or the economic downturn in the economy.
Jennifer Alfonso_Martinez
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