#1057 Luis Garcia elected State Representative 2006
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LEGISLATURE
Democrat
in House
called 'true
success story'
. Newly elected state Rep. Luis
Garcia, a former Miami Beach
commissioner is the Florida
House's only Cuban-American
Democrat.
BY SUSAN ANASAGASTI
sanasagasti@MiamiHerald.com
The Miami-Dade delegation to
Tallahassee has a new Cuban-
American colleague - only this
time he's a Democrat.
On Tuesday, Cuban-born Luis
Garcia Jr., a feisty
Miami Beach poli-
tician and the
city's former fire
chief, captured the
District 107 House
seat vacated by
Republican Gus
Barreiro. GARCIA
Garcia is the
fll'st Cuban-American Democrat to
serve in the state House since for-
mer Rep. Annie Betancourt of
West Kendall, who was elected in
1994.
Garcia narrowly beat Republi-
can Frank Carollo, an accountant
and brother of former Miami
. TURN TO GARCIA, 2B
, BEACH, 6B
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LEGISLATURE
Democrat
in House
called 'true
success story'
. Newly elected state Rep. Luis
Garcia, a former Miami Beach
commissioner is the Florida
House's only Cuban-American
Democrat.
BY SUSAN ANASAGASTI
sanasagasti@MiamiHerald.com
The Miami-Dade delegation to
Tallahassee has a new Cuban-
American colleague - only this
time he's a Democrat.
On Tuesday, Cuban-born Luis
Garcia Jr., a feisty
Miami Beach poli-
tician and the
city's former fire
chief, captured the
District 107 House
seat vacated by
Republican Gus
Barreiro.
Garcia is the GARCIA
first Cuban-American Democrat to
serve in the state House since for-
mer Rep. Annie Betancourt of
West Kendall, who was elected in
1994.
Garcia narrowly beat Republi-
can Frank Carollo, an accountant
and brother of former Miami
"TURN TO GARCIA, 28
, BEACH, 6B
:RASH RAISES QUESTIONS
ndling of a car crash involving
's CEO is under investigation.
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LE
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says. "I'm not going to Talla-
hassee to build a career after
political service. I'm going
to Tallahassee to be a voice
for Hispanic Democrats,
whether they live in my dis-
trict or not."
When asked why he's a
Democrat, Garcia responded
with a question: "Who is the
president that fought the
most for the Cuban people?"
FREEDOM FLIGHTS
He quickly supplies the
answer: "Lyndon Johnson,"
citing the '60s Freedom
Flights inaugurated by John-
son.
"For many, many years a
lot of other presidents have
given lip service to a lot of
Cubans in Miami," Garcia
says.
"They come to Little
Havana, put on a guayabera,
sip Cuban coffee and noth-
ing happens."
He adds: 'Democrats are
responsible for most of the
civil rights legislation and
Democrats have proven
throughout the years to be
sensitive to the needs of
working families."
Carollo counted on the
district's Cuban voters,
mostly Republican, to vote a
straight party ticket. Garcia
1 aggressively courted inde-
pendents and Republicans
to the Miami Beach City
Coriunission.
He still proudly refers to
himself as EI Bombero, Span-
ish for "the fll'eman." Even
those Garcia often clashed
with as a commissioner see
. him that way.
"If someone brought him
an issue, he'd head off and
try to fight it. He's a fll'e-
fighter," City Manager Jorge
Gonzalez says. "Sometimes
that led to butting of heads.
But he was doing what he
felt was right. Most people
grew to accept that that is
just Luis."
Even Garcia jokes: "What
you see is what you get,
folks."
As a commissioner, Gar-
cia was an advocate for pub-
lic safety and condo reform.
When asked to cite his
greatest accomplishment, EI
Bombero points to strict fll'e
safety standards he punched
for at Miami Beach Senior
High.
One of his hardest-fought
battles on the Beach com-
mission was a losing effort
- to allow Club Madonna,
an all-nude club in South
Beach, to serve alcohoL
But there was much less
resistance to another Garcia
initiative, to broaden domes-
tic partnership rights in the
city, including a mandate for
city contractors to provide
the same employee benefits
for domestic partners as
they do for spouses.
When he's not working,
Garcia spends time with his
three grown sons, he says.
His' wife, Alicia, died in
2003. At Garcia's last official
meeting as a city commis-
sioner in October, his fellow
commissioners urged him to
continue his feisty ways.
USEFUL TRAITS
Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Mi-
ami Beach, the incoming
Democratic leader of the
House, says those traits that
served Garcia well as a com-
missioner - and as a fire-
fighter - will be useful in
Tallahassee.
"People like him because
he means what he says. He's
not a phony," Gelber said.
- . .. 'I
,.
.. ...~:.~
FREEDOM FLIGHTS
He quickly supplies the
answer: "Lyndon Johnson,"
citing the '60s Freedom
Flights inaugurated by John-
son.
"For many, many years a
lot of other presidents have
given lip service to a lot of
Cubans in Miami," Garcia
says.
"They come to Little
Havana, put on a guayabera,
sip Cuban coffee and noth-
ing happens."
He adds: 'Democrats are
responsible for most of the
civil rights legislation and
Democrats have proven
throughout the years to be
sensitive to the needs of
working families."
Carollo counted on the
district's Cuban voters,
mostly Republican, to vote a
straight party ticket. Garcia
aggressively courted inde-
pendents and Republicans
- who make up 72 percent
of the district - and urged
many qf those voters to
break ranks to support him.
TIES TO CITY
Throughout his tenure on
the Miami Beach City Com-
mission, Garcia often would
remind colleagues of his
long ties to the city.
Born in Marianao, Cuba,
in 1945, Garcia moved to
Miami with his family in
1960. He moved to Miami
Beach a year later and has
lived there off and on ever
since, and played football for
Miami Beach Senior High.
Garcia joined the city's
fll'e department in 1974 as a
fll'efighter, and rose through
the ranks to become chief in
1996. He retired in 1999, and
was el,cted that same year
....~....
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~~
initiative, to broaden domes-
tic partnership rights in the
city, including a mandate for
city contractors to provide
the same employee benefits
for domestic partners as
they do for spouses.
When he's not working.
Garcia spends time with his
three grown sons, he says.
His' wife, Alicia, died in
2003. At Garcia's last official
meeting as a city commis-
sioner in October, his fellow
commissioners urged him to
continue his feisty ways.
USEFUL TRAITS
Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Mi-
ami Beach, the incoming
Democratic leader of the
House, says those traits that
served Garcia well as a com-
missioner - and as a fire-
fighter - will be useful in
Tallahassee.
"People like him because
he means what he says. He's
not a phony," Gelber said.
"He is authentic and a real
American success story.
When you talk with him he's
incapable of pretense. He
tells 'it how it is. That
authentic quality has served
him well."
Gelber says Garcia has
already built legislative con-
nections. He says Garcia will
help unify and increase the
Miami-Dade delegation's
bipartisan clout.
"The moment he walks
on the House floor, he'll be
respected by both Republi-
cans and Democrats," he .
said.
"When he speaks on pub-
lic safety issues and local
government, people will
know he speaks with experi-
ence.
"He's really a true Ameri-
can succes\ story."
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