In the heavily Democratic precincts of Florida's House District 61 (which encompasses Ybor City, East Tampa, Seminole Heights and West Tampa) calling someone a "Rick Scott Republican" is not a term of endearment, so you can bet that that Ed Narain is not pleased about the mailer distributed this past weekend to households in the district from his opponent, Sean Shaw.
The mailer highlights support Narain received from “Republican lobbyists,” and says that a vote for him will just be “more of the same.”
"It's a low blow," Narain told CL on Monday afternoon. "It's really turned a lot people off to him," he says about Shaw. "I’m really disappointed by it and it's a reason why good people don’t get into politics. This type of mudslinging isn’t necessary."
CL reached out to Shaw via a campaign spokesperson earlier this afternoon, but has yet to hear back from him as of this posting at 5 p.m.
The mailer certainly is an indication that Shaw hardly has this race in the bag, despite endorsements from high-profile personalities like Charlie Crist, state Senator Arthenia Joyner and other prominent Democrats.
Narain has been hammering Shaw for being something of a carpetbagger (though he never uses that term). Shaw lived in Tallahassee until the past few years. The two men are involved in an intense battle to succeed Betty Reed in the district, whose composition is nearly three-quarters black and Latino. On Friday, Reed endorsed Narain in the race.
"I'm supporting Ed Narain to replace me because our concerns for the community are the same," Reed said in a statement. "Ed has the community roots, the servant heart, and the fighting spirit to carry the torch for Tampa."
