(15 of 17)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "I don't feel comfortable giving the sanction of the state to homosexual marriages...I don't think that conflicts with my efforts to end discrimination against homosexuals in...other areas."
JIM JACOBS (R) District 20
BORN: Dec. 6, 1934, Chattanooga, Tenn. EDUCATION: Tennessee Technological U, B.S., 1961 FAMILY: Wife, Sandy; three children RELIGION: Protestant MILITARY: Navy, 1953-57; Naval Reserve, 1957-69 OCCUPATION: Marine-services executive POLITICAL CAREER: None ADDRESS: 300 Torchwood Avenue, Plantation 33324. Tel.: 954-723-0906
Jacobs is a Medicare and Social Security booster, hot-button issues for the district's retirees. But he's Republican in a strongly Democratic district. Pledges to make Washington more efficient by downsizing and eliminating unneeded agencies may help. But Jacobs, an avid golfer, may need a hole-in-one to take this race from popular incumbent Peter Deutsch.
THE ISSUES
Budget YES Medicare YES Defense NO Abortion YES Guns NO Gays NO Bosnia YES NAFTA NO Welfare YES Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "[T]he deficit is our generation's equivalent of the flood. God could no longer tolerate the excesses of his children and warned the people, but they didn't want to listen, and we know what happened."
LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (R) District 21 (Southeast--part of Dade County; Hialeah)
BORN: Aug. 13, 1954, Havana, Cuba EDUCATION: U of South Florida, B.A., 1976; Case Western Reserve U, J.D., 1979 FAMILY: Wife, Cristina; two children RELIGION: Roman Catholic MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Lawyer POLITICAL CAREER: Florida House, 1987-89, Senate, 1989-92; U.S. House, 1992- ADDRESS: 9737 Northwest 14th Street, No. 131, Miami 33173. Tel.: 305-470-8555
In February Cuba shot down two U.S. civilian planes flown by anti-Castro pilots who lived in Diaz-Balart's district. Like much of the large local Cuban-American population, he is staunchly anti-Castro and pro-Helms-Burton Act, which denies foreigners who profit from Cuba-seized American property the right to visit the U.S. He has no Democratic opponent.
THE ISSUES
Budget YES Medicare YES Defense NO Abortion YES Guns YES Gays YES Bosnia YES NAFTA NO Welfare NO Medical Leave YES (For an explanation of these issues, see the front of this guide.)
QUOTE OF NOTE: "The message Castro sent the Cuban people by those murders...was clear: 'If I can murder Americans over international waters, imagine what I can do to you.'"
KENNETH COOPER (D) District 22 (Southeast--coastal Broward, Dade and Palm Beach counties; Fort Lauderdale)
BORN: Jan. 8, 1953, Miami EDUCATION: Broward Community College, A.A., 1973; U of Florida, B.S., 1975; Nova U, J.D., 1983 FAMILY: Single RELIGION: Protestant MILITARY: None OCCUPATION: Lawyer; banker POLITICAL CAREER: Sought Democratic nomination for U.S. House, 1992 ADDRESS: 400 Southeast 8th Street, Fort Lauderdale 33316. Tel.: 954-522-1647
No district in the nation has more people over 65 than the 22nd, and Social Security and Medicare are hot-button issues here. Cooper stresses his commitment to both programs. To fight crime, another important topic for seniors, he wants more street-patrolling police and tougher gun-control laws.
THE ISSUES