Gerald Richman

The Cuban-born Republican running to succeed the late Rep. Claude Pepper today called "ominous" the runoff victory of a Democrat who won on the theme that he is running for "an American seat." The winner, Gerald Richman, a 47-year-old lawyer, defeated Cuban-born Rosario Kennedy in an ethnically tense battle. He gathered much of his strength from a heavy majority of the diverse district's white non-Latino voters in a 61% to 39% victory. Richman moves on to an Aug.

The Miami congressional district so long united behind its beloved Claude Pepper--the bulbous-nosed champion of the elderly--now has been cleaved by the blade of ethnic rivalry. On Tuesday, Miami voters will elect a successor to Pepper, who died May 30. The candidates are Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, 37, a former state senator, and Democrat Gerald Richman, 48, a wealthy lawyer. There are plenty of issues that separate the two.

The Miami congressional district so long united behind its beloved Claude Pepper--the bulbous-nosed champion of the elderly--now has been cleaved by the blade of ethnic rivalry. On Tuesday, Miami voters will elect a successor to Pepper, who died May 30. The candidates are Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, 37, a former state senator, and Democrat Gerald Richman, 48, a wealthy lawyer. There are plenty of issues that separate the two.

The Cuban-born Republican running to succeed the late Rep. Claude Pepper today called "ominous" the runoff victory of a Democrat who won on the theme that he is running for "an American seat." The winner, Gerald Richman, a 47-year-old lawyer, defeated Cuban-born Rosario Kennedy in an ethnically tense battle. He gathered much of his strength from a heavy majority of the diverse district's white non-Latino voters in a 61% to 39% victory. Richman moves on to an Aug.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Cuban-American to serve in Congress, was sworn in as a Republican member of the House from Florida. Ros-Lehtinen, 37, succeeded the late Democratic Rep. Claude Pepper, giving the House 176 Republicans and 255 Democrats. There are four vacancies. In a brief speech on the House floor, Ros-Lehtinen said: " . . . I think that this day serves to solidify the belief and the truth that the United States truly is the land of opportunity . . .

Nine Democrats were among those who met the filing deadline for the Aug. 1 primary in South Florida's 18th Congressional District, where 16 candidates will vie for the seat once held by Claude Pepper, who died on May 30. Democrats who qualified Tuesday include Pepper's niece, JoAnne Pepper, a probation officer; City Commissioner Rosario Kennedy of Miami; Gerald Richman, a lawyer and former president of the Florida Bar, and banker Raul Masvidal....

Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, elected to succeed the late Rep. Claude Pepper (D-Fla.), was sworn in today to become the first Cuban-American elected to Congress. Ros-Lehtinen, 37, won a special election Aug. 29, defeating Democrat Gerald Richman. The state senator's victory gave the GOP the Miami-area House seat that had been held by Pepper for 26 years.

Former Rep. Mark Foley will reveal to the Archdiocese of Miami the name of the Roman Catholic priest he says abused him almost four decades ago, his attorney said Tuesday. The disclosure that Foley, 52, will name the clergyman he said molested him between the ages of 13 and 15 comes two weeks after he abruptly resigned his seat in the House after being confronted with explicit Internet exchanges he had with teenage pages.