Democrats warned: GOP wants seats back
Democrats who captured GOP seats in Tallahassee and Washington have no time to rest on their laurels.
By LESLEY CLARK AND BETH REINHARDbreinhard@MiamiHerald.com

State Rep. Ron Saunders of Key West gives savvy advice to the six other Democrats who scored Florida House seats previously held by Republicans: Open a campaign account.
And fast.
''The election will be here before you know it,'' Saunders said. ``When you only have a two-year term, the day you get elected is the day you have to start looking ahead.''
State and congressional representatives have always had to watch their backs during their short terms in office, but Saunders' advice holds even more true for Democrats who recently persevered in competitive districts with the help of a nationwide anti-GOP tide. Political strategists say if the newly elected Democrats don't kick-start reelection campaigns and stick to the political center, they may find themselves short-timers in 2008.
Of the Republican-turned-Democrat seats in the Florida House and U.S. Congress, five are based in South Florida: state Reps. Saunders, Luis Garcia of Miami Beach and Martin Kiar of Davie; and U.S. Reps. Ron Klein of Boca Raton and Tim Mahoney of Palm Beach Gardens.
''On election night, I didn't go out to parties,'' said state Rep. Dan Gelber of Miami Beach, the state House Democratic leader who helped recruit Garcia. ``I didn't spend a moment celebrating. I stayed at my house in front of my computer. We started the next day thinking about what we were going to do.''
In Congress, Mahoney is one of the most vulnerable new members. He was a little-known long shot until the Republican incumbent, Mark Foley, dropped out in disgrace and GOP replacement candidate Joe Negron was unable to get on the ballot. Mahoney won by less than 2 percentage points.
Mahoney said Democratic leaders have made it clear they intend to help him stay in office.
''They're just so happy to be in the majority, we're the object of their affection,'' Mahoney said, laughing. ``We're walking billboards that if it wasn't for us, they'd be suffering.''
At the top of the Democratic party's retention plan: offering rookies plum committee assignments and high-profile speaking engagements.
Mahoney and Klein landed spots on the Financial Services Committee, which gives them a platform to push for a national catastrophic insurance fund -- an appealing concept back home. The committee, which oversees the lucrative securities, insurance, banking and housing industries, has been a magnet for campaign contributions. They later picked up other highprofile spots: Klein was named to the Foreign Affairs committee; Mahoney, to the Agriculture Committee.
The party also sought to showcase Mahoney during his first two days in office by tapping him to lead the closely watched debate on the party's ethics-reform package.
Klein and Mahoney won in ideologically centrist districts that have easily elected Republicans in the past.
More liberal Democrats, Klein contends, could not have won the seats. One of Mahoney's televised campaign ads was set to country music and depicted him shooting a gun.
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ''has been very strategic, recognizing that many of us come from totally diverse districts,'' Klein said, noting that new colleague Heath Shuler, a North Carolina Democrat, opposes abortion and supports gun rights. 'Pelosi has said, `You all go out there, you know how you got here, and you should be taking votes that reflect your district.' ''
Those positions could unnerve more liberal voters.
''The Democrats are going to find out how hard it is to govern,'' said Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami. ``Every vote is going to be important because Republicans really want to take over again. We want to be back in two years.''
Mahoney has started raising money for 2008. Klein, who as a former state House and Senate member is accustomed to running for reelection, said his matching Shaw nearly dollar-for-dollar may dissuade future competition.
Both men said they plan to spend as much time as possible back in the district. Political observers say Mahoney made a smart move when he decided to keep most of Foley's experienced district staff.
In Tallahassee, Saunders feels more comfortable than other newly elected officials because he represented the district from 1987 to 1994 and won in November by a cushy margin.
''I don't feel as much pressure,'' Saunders said. ``I'm not as worried about reelection as I am about getting stuff done.''
Unlike fellow Democrats in Washington, Saunders will be in the minority in Tallahassee. With Republicans leading all of the House committees, Democrats will have to push hard just to get their bills a hearing.
''They will have to be amenable to working with Republicans,'' said Andy Palmer, executive director of the Republican Party of Florida.
Garcia, who will be the only Cuban-American Democrat in the Legislature, has a simple retention plan: ``Doing what I did when I was a [Miami Beach] commissioner: serving the constituents as a full-time representative. I'm going to be there for them every day.''