By Rachel Kapochunas, CQ Staff

Democratic leaders in the House are scrambling to reassure three challengers in Florida that they won’t be ignored by the national party in the wake of charges that two Democratic incumbents are putting political relationships with Republicans ahead of party loyalty.

Florida Democrats Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Kendrick B. Meek have not personally endorsed three Democratic candidates in their home state: 21st District challenger Raul Martinez, the former mayor of Hialeah; 25th District challenger Joe Garcia, former executive director of the Cuban American National Foundation; and small business owner Annette Taddeo, who is running in the 18th District.

Wasserman Schultz and Meek told the Miami Herald March 8 they would take a hands-off approach to these races because of their working political and personal relationships with the Republican incumbents being challenged: brothers Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart in the 21st and 25th Districts, respectively, and 18th District Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen . All three are Cuban-Americans. Wasserman Schultz, Meek and the Republican lawmakers all represent areas in Southern Florida with sizable numbers of Cuban-American voters and Mario Diaz-Balart , Wasserman Schultz and Meek have a history of serving together in the state legislature.

The incumbents have crossed party lines to join forces on certain issues, especially when it comes to Cuba. In July, Wasserman Schultz and Meek voted against a majority of their party to side with the three Republicans against an amendment that would have eased banking restrictions on Cuba purchasing U.S. agriculture goods.

But some Democrats are crying foul over Wasserman Schultz and Meek’s attitudes, arguing that the lawmakers are putting their interests ahead of the party’s 2008 election goals.

Critics hit out especially hard at Wasserman Schultz, since she is a co-chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” program. The program provides financial and strategic assistance to Democratic candidates who meet fundraising and other campaign organizational goals set by the national party.

Newly-elected Miami-Dade county party chairman Bret Berlin said he was “appalled” that “certain elected officials think they have the right to anoint who can run,” according to the Miami Herald. North Miami Mayor Kevin Burns expressed similar outrage.

Liberal blog sites swingstateproject.com and dailykos.com posted several entries on the topic, including posts calling for Wasserman Schultz to resign her DCCC position.

The liberal political action committee Democracy for America Monday also protested: “How can Debbie Wasserman Schultz be the head of the Red to Blue program and not be willing to fight Republicans in her own backyard?” Daniel I. Medress, Communications Director for the PAC, asked in a press release Monday. “She has to step down as chair of the Red to Blue program or be removed from that position by the DCCC.”

But as the controversy boomed on the web and in liberal political circles, Wasserman Schultz and other Democratic members of Congress have been reaching out to the three Democratic challengers this month to communicate the party’s continued support.

In a recent statement, Wasserman Schultz noted that she has not endorsed the Republican incumbents in the races and made clear that the candidates are very much eligible to be put on the DCCC’s “Red to Blue” list.

“All candidates, from Florida to Alaska, have criteria that have to be met to get on this targeted list,” Wasserman Schultz said. “Let me guarantee that if they fulfill those criteria, these three Democratic candidates will be part of our Red to Blue Program.”

Wasserman Schultz also mentioned that she is one of three co-chairs and suggested that “it makes much more sense to have someone from outside of one’s own region to be able to make the hits necessary.”

In addition, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi , Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer , DCCC chairman Chris Van Hollen , Majority Whip James E. Clyburn and Democratic Caucus Chair Rahm Emanuel sent letters to the three Democratic candidates affirming their support.

“We are proud of what you have achieved in this early stage and look forward to working with you to meet the critical challenges ahead,” the members wrote.

Jeffrey Garcia, a Democratic political strategist who helped recruit the three Democratic candidates, expressed confidence in national party support.

In an interview with CQ Politics, Garcia said, “(The Democratic challengers) have all been very well received. They’ve been told if their campaigns are successful and they raise money and do what they are supposed to do, they will receive the full support of the DCCC.”

He said that Hoyer is scheduled to visit the area to campaign with all three candidates.

Garcia added that if “anyone is wondering” about the DCCC’s “level of commitment,” critics should note that the DCCC ran radio ads blasting the three GOP incumbents last fall, before the three challengers’ campaigns had fully formed.

CQ Politics recently changed the ratings of Lincoln Diaz-Balart ’s 21st District and Mario Diaz-Balart ’s 25th District from Safe Republican to Republican Favored, in light of their Democratic competition and will be closely monitoring these races.