Kathy Castor distances herself from Democrats in new ad
Florida Democrat Congresswoman Kathy Castor is positioning herself as a moderate by running a new ad that emphasizes her efforts to combat corruption, fix problems for her constituents, and break partisan norms. Despite district redistricting favoring Republicans and a significant partisan swing from Democratic to Republican preferences, she remains in the race against Republican Mike Beltran, with her contest rated as a toss-up. Castor highlights her bipartisan efforts, such as supporting a GOP-lead stock trading bill and addressing medicaid fraud, to appeal to voters beyond party lines.Her campaign also comes amidst a broader political landscape where both parties are redrawing district maps; Republicans aim to gain additional seats in the midterm elections. her strategy involves demonstrating a centrist image and highlighting her work to address issues affecting Florida residents.
One of Florida’s most vulnerable incumbent Democrats is running a new ad distancing herself from “extreme partisanship,” a rhetorical appeal to the Right after her district was redrawn to favor Republicans.
Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL), who has represented the Tampa area in Congress since 2007, tells voters in the 30-second commercial that she’s “fed up with the corruption that’s costing you more” and has crossed party lines to address it.
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“I fix problems and get things done for my neighbors,” she says in the ad. “I worked with Republicans to punish fraudsters and return taxpayer money that’s been stolen from you, and I broke with Democrats to make it illegal for members of Congress to trade stocks.”
The appeal is the latest example of Castor trying to burnish a more centrist image. She was one of eight House Democrats who voted this week to denounce the Democratic Socialists of America.
Rep. Darren Soto, another Florida Democrat whose district was reconfigured this spring, joined her in that vote.
Castor is running despite an 18-point swing in the partisan makeup of her district, from a place Vice President Kamala Harris won by 8 points in 2024 to one that then-nominee Donald Trump took by 10 points. Her race against Republican Mike Beltran is rated as a “toss-up” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
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Overall, Republicans are hoping to pick up as many as four additional seats in the midterm elections due to redistricting in Florida. The new maps, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in May, are part of a nationwide fight that has prompted both Republican and Democratic legislatures to redraw district lines.
In the ad, Castor notes that she was one of 13 Democrats to support a GOP-led stock-trading bill that passed the House in July. She also appears to reference her call for the Trump administration to address examples of Medicaid fraud in Florida.
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