People in the news

Lincoln Diaz-Balart

Former U.S. Representative (January 1993-2011)

Why He Matters

Diaz-Balart, a Cuban-born Republican, comes from a family with politics in its blood stretching back to his grandfather's service in the Cuban Congress. After being transplanted from the island after Fidel Castro took over, the "Cuban Kennedys" have made a definitive mark on South Florida politics. Diaz-Balart's brother, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R), is also in the House, representing Florida's 25th district.

Diaz-Balart, a former poverty lawyer and ex-Democrat, is known for his independent streak. He was one of just three incumbent Republicans, for instance, who opted not to sign Newt Gingrich's (R-Ga.) 1994 "Contract with America." In 1994, he became the first Hispanic to ever sit on the House Rules Committee. He is a strong advocate for immigrants' rights.

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Background

At a Glance

Career History: Florida State Senate (1989-1992); Florida House of Representatives (1986-1989); Assistant Florida attorney (1983-1984)
Birthday: Aug. 13, 1954
Hometown: Havana, Cuba
Alma Mater: University of South Florida, B.S., 1977; Case Western Reserve University, J.D., 1979
Spouse: Cristina
Religion: Catholic

Committees: Rules Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee
DC Office: 2244 Rayburn House Office Building, 202-225-4211
District Office: Miami, 305-470-8555
Email
Web site

Path to Power

Diaz-Balart was born in 1959 in Havana, a member of a clan that has come to be known as the "Cuban Kennedys" and one of Fidel Castro's "most repulsive enemies."

Rafael Diaz-Balart, Diaz-Balart's father, and Castro were close friends until 1952 when Rafael joined the government of Fulgencio Batista. Mirta Diaz-Balart, Rafael's sister and Lincoln and Mario's aunt, was married to Castro, but divorced him soon after her family took Batista's side. Rafael was vacationing with his wife and eldest sons, including Lincoln, when Castro seized control of Cuba in 1959. The Diaz-Balarts settled in south Florida.

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After graduating from law school, Diaz-Balart worked for the Legal Services of Greater Miami. In 1985, he and his brother, Mario, switched their party affiliation from Democrat to Republican after becoming disenchanted with Democrats and inspired by President Ronald Reagan's tough talk against communism. Lincoln Diaz-Balart successfully ran for the state House in 1986 and became a state senator in 1989, after being discouraged from challenging Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), who would later become a close House ally on Cuba. He would start representing Florida's 21st Congressional District after winning election in 1992.

House Career

In his freshman term, Diaz-Balart made waves by slashing millions from a project in the district of Rep. David Skaggs (D-Colo.). It was payback; the Coloradan was responsible for cutting funding to Radio and Television Marti, a Miami-based federally funded broadcast that transmits in Spanish to Cuba. In 1994, Diaz-Balart was one of few House Republicans who didn't sign the "Contract with America," the party's platform that helped them take control of Congress that year.

In 1995, Diaz-Balart was arrested outside of the White House while protesting against President Bill Clinton's policy on Cuba, which no longer granting automatic safe haven to the island's refugees.

Political observers expected Diaz-Balart to be in trouble in his 2008 election bid facing former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez (D), who had funding from Democratic heavyweights like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Local and national media declared the end of the Diaz-Balart dynasty; his brother Mario was believed to be facing a tough challenge too. But armed with a $3.7 million war chest, Diaz-Balart's campaign poured money into ads drawing attention to Martinez's past, which included an infamous confrontation with a butcher as well as a racketeering-and-extortion conviction. Diaz-Balart won 58 to 42 percent. (His brother survived convincingly too.)

When Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) announced his resignation in August 2009, Gov. Charlie Crist (R-Fla.) gave Diaz-Balart a questionnaire to fill out for a possible appointment. Diaz-Balart took himself out of the running (Crist is now a candidate), deciding "to remain in the U.S. House of Representatives fighting for the causes which I deeply believe in."

Diaz-Balart sits on the House Rules Committee, which decides the court of House floor debates and is his only committee.

The Issues

Diaz-Balart is among the most moderate Republicans in the House. He was one of three GOP holdouts on signing the 1994 "Contract with America." He took issue with the welfare reform section, which included provisions to deny federal programs to legal immigrants. The American Conservative Union gives him a lifetime rating of 72. During the 110th Congress, Diaz-Balart backed the House GOP position 88.3 percent of the time.

Diaz-Balart's stance on offshore drilling of oil has shifted in recent years. In 2005, he backed legislation seeking a permanent ban on oil-and-natural-gas drilling off Florida's coast. Diaz-Balart later shifted his support to a compromise bill, giving state legislatures the right to decide on drilling rights within 125 miles of the coast.

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Cuba and Latin America

Diaz-Balart has been unyielding in his opposition to loosening restrictions on Cuba. He helped pen a section of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act that has since formed the basis of U.S.-Cuban policy.

Diaz-Balart has been one of the harshest critics of the Obama administration loosening U.S. policy toward Cuba. In April 2009, the Diaz-Balart brothers issued a statement calling the president's decision to allow Cuban-Americans to freely send money back to the island "a serious mistake."

In summer 2009, Diaz-Balart responded to the possibility of lifting the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba by saying, "No matter how much they (embargo critics) talk, no matter how many press conferences they hold, the bottom line is they don't have the votes."

Diaz-Balart was a supporter of keeping 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez in the United States when in 2000 his mother perished at sea while the two tried to enter the U.S. from Cuba. Diaz-Balart bought the boy a Labrador puppy.

Immigration

Diaz-Balart represents a moderate GOP voice on immigration. He has voiced support for the DREAM Act, giving illegal immigrants the chance for permanent residency based on certain criteria.

In 2004, Diaz-Balart unsuccessfully fought to strip a national intelligence reform bill of immigration-related provisions including making it harder for people to be granted political asylum, speeding up deportations without judicial review and allowing criminals and suspected terrorists to be returned to countries known to condone torture.

Prior to the November 2009 vote on the House Democrats' health-care reform bill, which Diaz-Balart voted against, the Florida Republican vowed to oppose any language in the bill barring illegal immigrants from the right to purchase health insurance. House Republicans chose not to put the provision up for a vote.

Health-Care Reform

Diaz-Balart opposed sweeping changes to health care passed by House Democrats in November 2009, saying he would prefer more measured steps. The Democrats' bill would damage the economy by "increasing unemployment, dissuading investments in small business and creating tremendous incentives for business to fire workers," he argued.

The Economy

Diaz-Balart criticized the $787 billion economic stimulus bill that passed in February 2009 because there wasn't enough spending on road and infrastructure projects.

The Network

In July 2009, the Diaz-Balart brothers announced they would back Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) in his 2010 Senate bid. They later withdrew their support, but wouldn't publicly explain why, despite the surging campaign of former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R). In December 2009, Lincoln Diaz-Balart said Crist "left us no alternative and he knows why." Theories have included Crist ignoring Lincoln's judicial recommendations and the Senate bid of Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.). The Miami Democrat is close with the brothers and an ally on Cuba-related issues.

Ros-Lehtinen, another Miami-based lawmaker and ranking Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee, is the brothers' closest ally regarding Cuba.

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