Former (read: disgraced) Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Martin Zilber has outraised and outspent every other candidate in the special election to fill the vacancy in the Miami Commission District 2 seat. He collected $275,000 in contributions between his campaign account and his political action committee, Beautify Grove Miami.

More than everyone else combined.

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ABZ. Anyone but Zilber.

That’s the refrain heard on social media and at private gatherings in Coconut Grove and Brickell when people talk about the special election in Miami’s District 2.

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In the city of Miami special election, if we are to believe the text messages that voters are getting, we have a child molester, a communist sympathizer and an unethical attorney running for the seat vacated in District 2.

Of course, none of that is necessarily true. It’s just part of Miami elections. The smearing of candidates is something voters in the Magic City have been subjected to for decades.

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Add the International Brother of Electrical Workers Local #349 to the list of individuals and entities who have endorsed former (read: disgraced) Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Martin Zilber for city of Miami commissioner in District 2.

Likely under pressure — as the head of the IBEW is the father of a lobbyist who is pals with Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who is pushing hard for Zilber.

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Some residents in Miami started getting emails this week that attempt to pre-empt people from protesting the possible upcoming appointment of a city commissioner to replace Ken Russell, who resigned to run for Congress.

Russell lost in the primary and last week changed his resignation effective date to Dec. 30. That means the commission has to decide how to fill the vacancy within 10 days. So they set a meeting for Saturday, which is the last possible day to decide between an appointment or a special election.

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Miami City Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla sent out cards last week to wish voters a Happy Holidays.

They were not only sent to District 1 voters, however. They also landed in mailboxes in Districts 2, 3 and 4 — it’s unlikely he would campaign in District 5 — in the first real hint that Diaz de la Portilla is considering a run for mayor in 2025.

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