Republicans should nominate level-headed Reyes

The three Republicans hoping to dethrone incumbent Debbie Wasserman Schultz share a passion to unseat the congresswoman and spend a good deal of energy arguing over who is better equipped to face her.

We believe Carlos Reyes is that candidate.

Reyes, 59, is an articulate, affable real estate lawyer from Davie and a former member of the board that oversees the South Broward Hospital District.

He is running against Carla Spalding, 49, a registered nurse who immigrated from the Caribbean as a child. Beyond that, we know little about her. She declined to attend a candidate interview or complete our questionnaire.

Joseph Kaufman, 47, is the third candidate in the race. He’s a counter-terrorism researcher and a zealous advocate for issues involving the Middle East. Kaufman says he offers the greatest name recognition. That’s because he has tried and failed three times to defeat Wasserman Schultz. At the very least, he deserves credit for persistence. One gets the feeling that if he fails a fourth time, he’ll be back for another go at it in 2020.

Reyes argues — to the chagrin of Kaufman — that the three-strikes rule applies. We think the more apt metaphor is Don Quixote’s impossible dream.

Spalding, too, is taking another bite at the apple. She ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2016 in Palm Beach County, winning 3 percent of the vote. Backed by right-wing commentator Roger Stone and his InfoWars show, she concluded that she might have a better chance in Broward. Watching her in action on YouTube inspires little confidence.

Reyes, on the other hand, exudes it. His lawyerly demeanor and even temper would serve him well in a body that needs it desperately. After practicing law for 30 years and participating in a variety of civic activities, he convinced himself that it was time to get more deeply involved. He opted to chase the District 23 seat, where he’s lived for decades.

Ordinarily we would look askance at a candidate whose first run for office was at the federal level and, in candor, we still do have reservations. But neither we nor Republican voters in this district have any other option. And they could do far worse than Reyes.

Reyes and Kaufman are both big fans of President Trump. They rationalize any bad behavior, including the infamous “Pussy Tape.” Reyes calls it “locker room talk” and says the president was illegally recorded.

Kaufman says he supported Trump from the start, when Reyes was backing Jeb Bush and Spalding was backing Marco Rubio. “President Trump has done a fantastic job of bringing prosperity and projecting strength around the world,” he said. “I don’t care if he said a few curses. I care about him doing.”

As a researcher into terrorist activity, Kaufman has come under criticism from Islamic rights groups and once was sued for allegations he made linking a rights group to Hamas and al-Qaeda.

Spalding faces questions about paying herself a salary from campaign contributions. While not illegal, such payments are highly irregular and ethically dubious.

We believe Republicans in District 23 would be best served by a vote for Carlos Reyes. He offers a quiet voice of reason in a race that could profit from more of it.

Reyes