Executive director of CANF leaves to join Democrats

MIAMI - The executive director of the Cuban American National Foundation has stepped down to become a senior adviser for a Democratic organization.

Joe Garcia, who has been the public face of the Cuban-American exile group since 2000, said Wednesday he would start working immediately for the New Democrat Network, an independent group that raises money in support of moderate Democrats.

Garcia will be a senior adviser to the Democrat network's president and develop a plan to draw more Hispanics and Cuban Americans to the party.

"This is a symbol of how the Cuban-American community is changing," said Simon Rosenberg, president of the New Democrat Network. "This is something that a few years ago no one would have thought possible. We're putting up competition for the Cuban vote."

Cuban Americans traditionally support Republicans and, in 2000, voted for George W. Bush by a 4-to-1 margin when he won the state by 537 votes, capturing the White House.

Garcia previously served as chairman of the Public Services Commission under Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles. He said wanted to be involved in the 2004 election.

"We should advocate for a better long-term Cuba policy with anyone who will listen," Garcia said. "The Democrats are listening."

Garcia had the support of CANF chairman Jorge Mas Santos.

"We don't want the extreme left of the Democratic Party to guide the Cuba policy or thinking on Cuba," Mas Santos said. "It is important to keep all the bases covered because we don't know who is going to win in November and we can't be so irresponsible as to put Cuba's fate in the hands of one person or one party."