Ryan Nicol
Fresh off the 2021 Legislative Session, Republican Sen. Manny Diaz is announcing a major fundraiser hosted at former President Donald Trump’s Doral resort.
The event will take place Thursday, June 10. The money raised will help fund Diaz’s political committee, Better Florida Education.
Diaz and his team haven’t yet listed price points to enter the event. But he’s looking to jump-start his 2022 fundraising effort after being on the sidelines recently. Florida lawmakers are barred from raising cash for the campaign accounts during the Legislative Session.
The Senator is looking for a second term representing Senate District 36. So far, no other candidates have filed for the seat.
The timing of the fundraiser is notable given the ongoing battle within the GOP surrounding Trump’s influence within the party. Trump has repeatedly pushed false conspiracies regarding the 2020 election, which in part led to the riot on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Just this week, U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming was voted out of a House Republican leadership role due to her criticisms of Trump’s fearmongering.
The former President does remain a force within the party, and utilizing a Trump property could help court cash for a fundraising event targeted at GOP donors. It’s unclear whether the President himself would be involved in the event in any way.
Diaz is already sitting on nearly $460,000 heading into the 2022 contest. That’s thanks to a steady stream of fundraising in the years since his 2018 win to take over the SD 36 seat. Diaz defeated Democrat David Perez in that contest. Diaz previously represented House District 103.
That 2018 contest saw Diaz raise plenty of cash on his way to winning the seat. The district mostly covers an inland portion of northern Miami-Dade County, including Miami Lakes, Hialeah, and Miami Springs.
As it stands, a Democrat does have a shot at unseating Diaz, and there are many months for a serious opponent to emerge. Diaz won his 2018 contest by 8 points. That’s enough to make him the favorite but likely short of making Diaz a lock. Of course, the state’s redistricting plan could affect those odds.
Diaz has focused on education issues during his legislative tenure, aiming to expand vouchers for families looking to send their children to private schools.
