The race Tuesday for Florida's 25th congressional seat pits incumbent Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart and Democratic challenger Joe Garcia, former head of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party and one-time executive director of the Cuban American National Foundation.

In a race that has attracted national attention, Garcia, 45, is trying to unseat Diaz-Balart, 47, a member of a well-known Cuban political family. His older brother, Lincoln, is also a congressman.

The district runs from southwestern Miami-Dade into Monroe and Collier counties.

The voter make-up in District 25 has changed, with recent state election numbers showing 137,913 Republicans and 134,549 Democrats -- a jump from 108,276 Democrats in 2006.

On the government financial rescue plan, Garcia has said he ''would have held his nose and voted for it.'' Diaz-Balart voted twice against it, saying it's a ''blank check'' for the government.

On lifting current restrictions on exile travel to Cuba: Diaz-Balart is for keeping them in place, while Garcia is for easing restrictions.

They agree on keeping the embargo in place and no dialogue with Cuban leader Raúl Castro unless the island releases political prisoners and returns basic freedoms to citizens.

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