Jump to content

Lincoln Díaz-Balart

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Díaz-Balart and the second or maternal family name is Caballero.
Lincoln Díaz-Balart
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 21st district
In office
January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2011
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byMario Díaz-Balart
Member of the Florida Senate
from the 34th district
In office
August 30, 1989 – November 17, 1992
Preceded byIleana Ros-Lehtinen
Succeeded byAlberto Gutman
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 110th district
In office
November 18, 1986 – August 28, 1989
Preceded byIleana Ros-Lehtinen
Succeeded byMiguel De Grandy
Personal details
Born
Lincoln Rafael Díaz-Balart y Caballero

(1954-08-13)August 13, 1954
Havana, Cuba
DiedMarch 3, 2025(2025-03-03) (aged 70)
Key Biscayne, Florida, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic (before 1985)
Republican (1985–2025)
SpouseCristina Fernandez
Children2
Parent
RelativesJosé Díaz-Balart (brother)
Mario Díaz-Balart (brother)
See Díaz-Balart family
EducationNew College of Florida (BA)
Case Western Reserve University (JD)
Díaz-Balart's voice
Díaz-Balart speaks on the Cuban pro-democracy movement
Recorded March 15, 2010

Lincoln Rafael Díaz-Balart (born Lincoln Rafael Díaz-Balart y Caballero; August 13, 1954 – March 3, 2025) was a Cuban-American attorney and politician. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U.S. representative for Florida's 21st congressional district from 1993 to 2011. He previously served in the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate. He retired from Congress in 2011 and his younger brother, Mario Díaz-Balart, who had previously represented Florida's 25th congressional district, succeeded him. He was chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute.[1] After leaving Congress, he started a law practice and a consulting firm, both based in Miami, Florida.

Early life and education

[edit]

Díaz-Balart was born in Havana, Cuba on August 13, 1954,[2] to Cuban politician Rafael Díaz-Balart and Hilda Caballero Brunet. His aunt, Mirta Díaz-Balart, was the first wife of the late Fidel Castro. Her son, and his cousin, was the late Dr. Fidel Ángel "Fidelito" Castro Díaz-Balart. His uncle was the Cuban-Spanish painter, Waldo Díaz-Balart.[3][4]

He was educated at the American School of Madrid in Spain; New College of Florida; and Case Western Reserve University, from which he earned a Juris Doctor degree.[2] He was involved in a Miami private practice for several years before holding elective office.[2]

Political career

[edit]

In 1982, Díaz-Balart ran for a Florida House of Representatives seat for District 113 as a Democrat and lost to the Republican, Humberto Cortina.[5]

Díaz-Balart, as well as his immediate family, were all members of the Democratic Party. Díaz-Balart was the former president of the Dade County Young Democrats and the Florida Young Democrats, as well as a member of the executive committee of the Dade County Democratic Party.[6] On April 24, 1985, Diaz-Balart, his wife, and brother Mario switched their registrations to Republican.[7]

Díaz-Balart served as a Republican in the Florida House of Representatives from 1986 to 1989 and in the Florida Senate from 1989 to 1992.[8][9][10]

In 1992, Díaz-Balart won election to the House of Representatives and remained in the House until his retirement in 2011.[2]

U.S. House of Representatives

[edit]

Congressional committees

[edit]

Party leadership

[edit]

Political positions

[edit]

In general, Diaz-Balart's voting record was moderate by Republican standards. His lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union is 73.[11]

In 1994, he was one of only three Republican incumbents not to sign the Republican Contract with America. He objected to provisions in its welfare reform section that would deny federal programs to legal immigrants.[12][2]

In 2006, he voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment and in 2009 voted for the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expanded the federal hate crime law to include a person's perceived gender, sexual orientation, identity or disability.[13] In December 2010, Diaz-Balart was one of fifteen Republican House members to vote in favor of repealing the United States military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on openly gay service members.[14][15]

He was a sponsor of the DREAM Act which seeks to facilitate access for illegal immigrant students to post-secondary education by allowing states to have power to determine requirements for in-state tuition.[16]

He achieved passage into law of historic pieces of legislation – such as the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) in 1997,[2] and the codification of the United States embargo against Cuba in 1996[2] (requiring that all political prisoners be freed and multi-party elections scheduled in Cuba before U.S. sanctions can be lifted).

Cuba

[edit]

Diaz-Balart played a prominent role in the Cuban-American lobby, and was active in the attempt by relatives of Elian Gonzalez to gain custody of the six-year-old from his Cuban father.[17] Diaz-Balart was a member of the Congressional Cuba Democracy Caucus.[18]

2008 financial crisis

[edit]

On September 29, 2008, Diaz-Balart voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008: "American taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for the irresponsible behavior of Wall Street executives. The average citizen is forced to play by the rules, yet many who did not now get a massive bailout from taxpayers in this plan. This is fundamentally unfair. By bailing out reckless behavior we encourage future reckless behavior."[19][20]

Healthcare

[edit]

In March 2010, Diaz-Balart publicly called the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act "a decisive step in the weakening of the United States."[21][22]

Political campaigns

[edit]

1992 to 1998

[edit]

In 1992, Diaz-Balart defeated fellow State Senator Javier Souto in the Republican primary for the newly created 21st District. No other party put up a candidate, assuring Diaz-Balart's election. He was unopposed for reelection in 1994, 1996, 2000, and 2002 and defeated Democrat Patrick Cusack with 75 percent in 1998.[2][23][24]

2004 and 2006

[edit]
See also: 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida § District 21

In both 2004 and 2006, Lincoln Diaz-Balart was unsuccessfully challenged by Frank J. Gonzalez, a Libertarian Party candidate in 2004 and Democrat in 2006. In 2004, Diaz-Balart won with 72.8% of the vote; Gonzalez ran for U.S. House as the Libertarian Party candidate and earned 54,736 votes or 27.2% of the total.[25] In 2006, Diaz-Balart won with 59.5% of the vote; Gonzalez managed to earn 45,522 votes or 40.5% according to the Florida Department of State's Division of Elections website.[26]

2008

[edit]
See also: 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida § District 21

Diaz-Balart's Democratic opponent in 2008 was former Hialeah Mayor Raul L. Martinez. It was initially thought that Diaz-Balart would face his toughest race to date. Although the 21st District is considered the most Republican district in the Miami area, Martinez was thought to be very popular in the area. Nevertheless, Diaz-Balart won re-election with 58% of the vote.[27]

2010

[edit]
See also: 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida § District 21

In February 2010, Diaz-Balart announced his intention not to seek re-election.[28] His brother, Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart, ran to succeed him,[29] and won unopposed.

Personal life and death

[edit]

Díaz-Balart was married to Cristina Fernandez and had two children: Lincoln Jr. and Daniel. Lincoln Jr. died on May 19, 2013, at the age of 29.[30] His family said he had battled depression for many years.[31]

Díaz-Balart's brother, Mario Díaz-Balart, previously represented the 25th district of Florida, moved to the 21st district, but moved back to the 25th district after redistricting. He had two other brothers: José Díaz-Balart, a journalist[8] and anchorman of the Saturday edition of the NBC Nightly News, and Rafael Díaz-Balart, an investment consultant.[32][8]

Díaz-Balart died from cancer at his home in Key Biscayne, Florida, on March 3, 2025, at the age of 70.[33][34][8]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Bernal, Rafael (January 11, 2024). "DC Latino internship group names former Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen new chair". The Hill.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "DIAZ-BALART, Lincoln". US House of Representatives, Office of the Historian. Archived from the original on March 5, 2025. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
  3. ^ Scheckner, Jesse (March 3, 2025). "Former Congressman and prominent Miami politico Lincoln Díaz-Balart dies at 70". Florida Politics.
  4. ^ "The renowned Cuban painter Waldo Díaz-Balart passes away in Madrid". CiberCuba. February 5, 2025. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  5. ^ The Miami Herald; Emotions Racing in Little Havana, October 31, 1982
  6. ^ The Miami Herald, Latin Opponents Take Traditional Party Stands by Elizabeth Morgan, October 10, 1982
  7. ^ El Nuevo Herald, Díaz-Balart Se Pasa Al Partido Republicano, April 24, 1985
  8. ^ a b c d Caputo, Marc (March 3, 2025). "Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who put Cuban embargo into law, dies at 70". Axios. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  9. ^ "Our Campaigns − FL State House 110 Race − Nov 04, 1986".
  10. ^ "Our Campaigns − FL State House 110 Race − Nov 08, 1988".
  11. ^ "2007 Votes by State Delegation". www.acuratings.org. Archived from the original on 2008-07-31.
  12. ^ "Hispanic Americans in Congress". Library of Congress.
  13. ^ United States House of Representatives Roll Call Vote on H.R. 1913
  14. ^ Chris Geidner, House Passes DADT Repeal Bill Archived 2013-10-21 at the Wayback Machine, Metro Weekly (December 15, 2010).
  15. ^ House Vote 638 – Repeals 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Archived 2016-01-18 at the Wayback Machine, New York Times (December 15, 2010).
  16. ^ Lincoln Diaz-Balart – United States Congressman Archived 2007-04-26 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ Politicization of Elian Gonzalez Often at Cross-Purposes With Law Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine. CNN transcripts.
  18. ^ Bachelet, Pablo (March 5, 2007). "Battle over Cuba policy heats up". The Miami Herald.
  19. ^ "Update on Financial Crisis Legislation-From Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart". Real Estate Services with RealEstateLatino.com. October 1, 2008.[permanent dead link‍]
  20. ^ "Bailout Roll Call" (PDF). 2008-09-29. Retrieved September 29, 2008.
  21. ^ Pear, Robert; Herszenhorn, David M. (March 22, 2010). "Obama Hails Vote on Health Care as Answering 'the Call of History'". New York Times.
  22. ^ "Final Roll Call Vote, On Motion to Concur in Senate Amendments to Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act". Office of the Clerk. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  23. ^ "Our Campaigns − FL State Senate 34 − Special Election Race − Aug 29, 1989".
  24. ^ "Our Campaigns − FL State Senate 34 Race − Nov 06, 1990".
  25. ^ "Florida Department of State Division of Elections November 2, 2004 General Election". Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  26. ^ "Florida Department of State Division of Elections November 7, 2006 General Election". Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  27. ^ "Florida Department of State Division of Elections − November 4, 2008 General Election". Secretary of State of Florida. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  28. ^ "Mario Diaz-Balart Will Run to Succeed His Brother". Roll Call. 2010-02-11. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  29. ^ Chang, Daniel (2010-04-30). "Lively House races on the ballot – Political Currents". MiamiHerald.com. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  30. ^ Caputo, Marc. "IP: Lincoln Gabriel Diaz-Balart, 29". The Miami Herald. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  31. ^ Benedetti, Ana (May 20, 2013). "Lincoln Gabriel Diaz-Balart, U.S. Representative's Nephew, Dies At 29". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  32. ^ "Rafael Diaz-Balart – Biography". braincenter.org. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  33. ^ Mazzei, Patricia (March 4, 2025). "Lincoln Díaz-Balart, a 'Free Cuba' Republican in Congress, Dies at 70". The New York Times. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  34. ^ "Former Florida U.S. Congressman Lincoln Díaz-Balart dies at 70, family confirms". CBS News. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
[edit]
Florida House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 110th district
1986–1989 		Succeeded by
Miguel De Grandy
Florida Senate
Preceded by Member of the Florida Senate
from the 34th district
1989–1992 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
New constituency Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 21st congressional district
1993–2011 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lincoln_Díaz-Balart&oldid=1279746845"