His name is Timothy Canova and he’s modeling his campaign on the tactics of another establishment dragon slayer: Dave Brat.
Republican Brat defeated incumbent House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in 2014, and Canova is hoping he can take down Florida Congresswoman — and Democratic National Committee Chairwoman — Debbie Wasserman Schultz in 2016.
“You talk to people at the Broward County Democratic clubs, they say she takes us for granted,” Canova tells New Republic.
Canova, a former aide to late Sen. Paul Tsongas and currently a professor at Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law, declared his candidacy in the 23rd district of Florida in what will be Wasserman Schultz’s first primary challenge ever.
The candidate, who is a fan of Bernie Sanders, says on his campaign website, “Rather than doing the bidding of giant corporations like too many professional politicians these days, Tim asks you to join him to work for these interests of the actual, real people who reside here.”
He plans to make Wasserman Schultz’s support of President Obama’s trade deal a focus of his campaign.
“I think anyone who voted for fast track should be primaried. I believe that ordinary citizens have to step up,” Canova says.
A liberal Super PAC is hungry for a fight with Wasserman Schultz.
“The money is coming in more rapidly than believable,” Howie Klein, co-founder of Blue America PAC, tells New Republic.
“Our average donation is $45, but in this case we’re getting $3, $5,” Klein says. “For people who our donors have never heard of, it can take three-four months to do that. It’s just because of Debbie Wasserman Schultz.”
The primary challenge is just the latest headache for Wasserman Schultz.
Two separate petitions have garnered more than 94,000 signatures of people demanding that Wasserman Schultz resign as DNC chair.
In October, she got into a public war of words with Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, a DNC vice chair, over the lack of debates among the Democratic presidential candidates.
“Simply because she’s recommending more debates, you disinvited her from coming here?” Wolf Blitzer asked Wasserman Schultz, referring to Las Vegas, the site of one of the Democratic debates.
“That’s simply not true,” Wasserman Schultz responded. “Herein lies the problem: you and I are now talking about Tulsi Gabbard rather than concentrating on our candidates. …
“We’re a big tent party, everybody is entitled to their own opinion, the congresswoman has made her opinion clear on the process. … Unfortunately Congresswoman Gabbard continues to focus on process. She was asked to focus on our candidates and if she could keep the focus on our candidates then that is what we thought was important.”
Wasserman Schultz tried to use Gabbard’s words against her to imply Gabbard agreed she would be a distraction from the debate and voluntarily declined to attend.
“She spent a lot of this morning continuing to focus on process and herself as opposed to talking about our great candidates.”
Canova tells New Republic, “There’s a tendency to get so down about the system, but this is an interesting moment we’re living in.
“This is a grassroots movement. We’re tapping in without even trying yet.”
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