Five Republican elected officials from Miami-Dade County have endorsed Raul Martinez, Democratic candidate for Florida’s 21st Congressional District. They have also formed a new group called Republicans for Raul to appeal to registered Republicans to back the former Hialeah mayor against the incumbent Republican, Lincoln Diaz-Balart.

The five are all Hialeah politicians: Hialeah Gardens Mayor Yioset De La Cruz, Hialeah City Council vice president Carlos Hernandez, Hialeah councilmen Luis Gonzalez and José Caragol, and Hialeah Gardens councilman Luciano “Lucky” Garcia.

Congressional races in Miami were so predictable in the past, they weren't much of a race at all. This year is promising to be very different.

David Adams, Times staff writer

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