Ladra dares Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez to put his committee vote into action and resign his seat now

The open congressional seat thanks to the announced retirement of U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has attracted almost a dozen hopefuls who want to represent us in Washington, D.C.: A whopping 11 candidates have either declared their intentions or opened “exploratory” committees.

This includes five who are already in elected office: Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, State Rep. David Richardson, Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen-Gonzalez, Miami-Dade Commissioner Bruno Barreiro and Miami Commissioner Ken Russell. So far, anyway.

One of the wannabes not in office already has a problem with them staying there.

Michael Hepburn, an academic advisor at the University of Miami who Ladra suspects is building name ID for another race, says the “Resign to Run” law that forces electeds to resign one office if they run for a state or local seat should be extended to federal offices, which are exempted from the state statute. These candidates not only cost taxpayers extra, through special elections that could have happened simultaneously with the federal race, they also get a leg up with a bully platform, he said.

Read related story: Bruno Barreiro makes Congress bid official; Dems celebrate

“This exception creates an unfair advantage for the elected official, it’s a conflict of interest, and Floridians should not have to cover the cost associated with creating special elections or continue to cover the salary for these officials — while they use their time on the job to run for another office,” Hepburn said. “This is a democracy and you have every right to run for any political office you deem appropriate. However, if you choose to not honor the term you were elected for – run for another office on your own time.”

“Our aspiring career politicians need to either keep their commitments to the voters that elected them or resign, so someone else can finish the job,” he said, adding that voters he has spoken to agree.

He is right. This exclusion does perpetuate the perception of political stepping stones being used to attain higher office. And you can’t deny the fact that every time Rodriguez or Barreiro or Rosen Gonzalez or the others get free press for doing their job, their congressional campaigns benefit. So they do campaign on our dime and, in fact, could be paying extra attention to issues or neighborhoods that overlap in the district — or even beyond their district or parameters.

These are the reasons why there is proposed legislation that would close the state law loophole — made in 2007 for then-Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, whose name was being floated as a potential VP running mate — and include federal offices in the Resign to Run law.

Read related story: Jose Javier Rodriguez runs for Congress, but it’s not in the bag

Senate Bill 186, introduced by Sen. Travis Hutson (R-Elkton), would require elected candidates who run for federal office where terms overlap to resign at least 10 days before qualifying begins.

And even though it would go against his self interest by requiring him to resign early, Rodriguez voted in favor of the bill in the Ethics and Elections Committee, where it passed unanimously Tuesday.

But here’s an idea — nay, a challenge — for J-Rod, if he really believes electeds like him should resign to run for a congressional seat: Senator, you don’t have to wait until the full legislature votes on the bill next year. There is nothing stopping you from setting the example and resigning now.

If you voted what you believe in, Ladra dares you to put your money (your job) where your mouth (your vote) is.

Miami-Dade Commissioner Bruno Barreiro — who was chairman when the Marlins Stadium deal was voted on and sort of ushered the process along — announced officially Monday morning, as expected, that he would be running for the congressional seat vacated next year by a retiring Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Immediately, one could hear a soft cheer throughout the 305. Those were Democrats. Because, let’s face it, Barreiro as the Republican nominee in a post Trump election would be like the elephant giving the donkey a gift. Wrapped. With a bow.

Sure, both Barreiro’s commission district and his House district — District 107 from 1992 to 1998 — are squarely within congressional District 27, but he’s never ran in large swaths, including Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay. And that’s the least of his problems.

Read related story: Raquel Regalado vs. Bruno Barreiro for Congress?

Barreiro is a soft, easy target for anyone and a dream opponent in an increasingly blue-leaning District that went to Hillary Clinton in November by 20 freaking points. He’s never run a real race, except against former State Rep. Luis Garcia who forced him into a runoff in 2012 that Barreiro won with 52% of the vote, and Ladra would say Garcia botched it. Barreiro had almost been recalled in 2011 with former mayor Carlos Alvarez and former Commissioner Natacha Seijas after the Marlins money mess, but activists fell 35 petition signatures short.

As state rep, Bruno was one of the least effective legislators — nicknamed “el mudo,” or “the mute” by collegues —  and his time in Tallahassee is marked by nothing except conflicts of interests and questionable deals. His family’s struggling Little Havana medical clinic suddenly got a juicy state Medicaid contract after he was elected and was later sold to a larger conglomerate for $10 million. A Miami New Times story from when he was made county commission chaiman says that Barreiro made $200,000 off the deal. And he became very close to the man who bailed the struggling clinic out, former Sen. Al Gutman, who made half a million as a “broker” and was forced to resign as part of a plea deal in 1999 after being caught in an unrelated Medicaid fraud scheme.

As commissioner, Barreiro — who is also the Republican State Executive Committeeman for Miami-Dade — sees nothing wrong with the fact that the county paid his family between $30,000 and $40,000 a year rent for at least a decade so he could have his district office in their building. He called it a savings coup. And, despite a spotty attendance record for public meetings, he urged the Florida legislature in 2007 to abandon the Florida Government in the Sunshine Law that prohibits electeds from talking in private about anything they may vote on in the future.

He was re-elected unopposed last year, but still managed to spend almost $140,000 in campaign contributions, much of them from contractors who do business or want to do business with the county. Among his expenses in an unchallenged race, before he donated the rest to organizations: $31,000 in consulting and campaign work, $3,000 for supplies at Costco, $4,370 for Apple computer (that’s two laptops, right?) and almost $17,000 in printed campaign materials from Image Outfitters and Alina Sportswear (that’s a lot of t-shirts for someone who didn’t have to run). Among the organizations that got donations from the leftover funds was the Barreiro Foundation, which got $10,000.

The negative campaign mailers write themselves.

Read related story: Bruno Barreiro’s district digs, mortgage raise questions

“Bruno Barreiro is one of the most self-serving politicians in Miami-Dade. And that’s saying a lot,” said Juan Cuba, chairman of the Miami-Dade Democrat Party.

Then there’s the matter of his energy. Bruno might need a job when he is termed out in 2020, but he has neither the media presence nor the campaign stamina to match up to someone like Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez or Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, who are the two most likely to succeed in the Democrat primary. There’s no fire in his belly. There never has been.

But why not? There’s no risk in running because he doesn’t have to resign. If he loses, he can stay on as county commissioner. Maybe he just needs another laptop or more seed funding for his foundation?

Barreiro — whose wife Zoriada Barreiro is running for Miami city commissioner — said in a statement Wednesday that this opportunity was a longtime dream of his. If you will recall, his name was floated in a poll for Congressional District 26 four years ago.

“Throughout my years as a public servant, I have witnessed first-hand how my efforts can positively contribute to the growth and well-being of our residents in South Florida. It truly would be an honor and a privilege to serve our community, and our country, as a United States Congressman,” Barreiro said in a statement released as another Republican, former Miami-Dade School Board Member and county mayoral candidate Raquel Regalado, met with GOP leaders in Washington, D.C. Ladra bets Democrats would be much more afraid to run against her.

“I have a pulse for the needs of our community, and understand the importance of having a strong advocate for South Floridians in Washington D As Congressman, I will work in a bipartisan manner to bring to the table important issues for our residents, such as economic prosperity, improved infrastructure, modernized and efficient transportation alternatives, affordable housing, viable healthcare options, and so much more,” Barreiro added.

Did you hear that? Sounded a little like a distant crowd. Cheering.

As many may have expected, newly-minted Jose Javier Rodriguez announced Tuesday that he would run for the congressional seat in District 27 being vacated next year by a retiring U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and immediately became the front runner for the Democrat primary — at least on paper.

But on the streets, Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez might still give him a good run for his — or the party’s — money. And in Obama circles, the name Francisco Cerezo — a Puerto Rican Miami lawyer and onetime Obama surrogate who is son of the first Latin American female federal judge — is being floated around by his friend, political operative Freddy Balsera (who would work on his campaign, of course).

Political observers say Cerezo (read: Balsera) is just using the race to get some name recognition — beause right now it is zero — so he can run for another seat that opens up in the future, maybe one of the domino effect avalanche seats that will open up in the state legislature from this race or the Senate 40 contest. Pedro Diaz, a political consultant who runs Rosen Gonzalez’s campaigns, is convinced this primary race has already been defined, 15 months out, as a two-way contest between his client and Rodriguez, who was a state rep for four years before jumping to the Senate last year and who was being groomed for this position, eventually, before IRL surprised everyone with early retirement and reset the clock.

Read related story: Kristen Rosen Gonzalez to challenge Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

“No other big name is going to jump in now that he’s announced,” Diaz said, adding that maybe that was the senator’s point, to scare everybody off.

But Rosen Gonzalez — who has fought Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine and his political consultant, David “Disgustin’” Custin — is not scared easily. Heck, she’s the only one who was brave enough to announce her intentions before Ileana decided to retire. J-Rod could be called an opportunist.

“He’s a formidable opponent,” Rosen Gonzalez told Ladra Wednesday, “but I’m going to stand my ground.”

“My supporters are my supporters and I don’t think an Ivy league lawyer is what they really want,” the college professor said, referring to J-Rod’s Harvard law degree.

She may be smart to define herself, in contrast, as a single mom and educator. Because there are very few other differences between them.

The two have similar blue positions on immigration reform, minimum wage, climate change and neither has been shy to voice their concerns, so they’re not going to mark much of a difference that way. Both of them are good, but not great, at media. Neither one has to resign to run, so they have nothing to lose and each can use their bully pulpit to promote themselves.

J-Rod may have more legislative experience, but it’s just a tiny bit more. He could also be seen as an ambitious hopper who just became a state senator five minutes ago and is already itching to move up the political ladder. But Rosen Gonzalez, a freshman city commissioner, might also be seen as too ambitious for her own good.

And yes, Rodriguez scored two powerhouse victories when first elected to the House in 2012 (against former Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla) and then the Senate last year (against big brother Miguel Diaz de la Portilla), but those big wins have been in presidential years. His win against nobody lobbyist Daniel Diaz Leyva in 2014 was by a much smaller (642-vote) margin. And Ladra dares say both DLPs could have worked a little harder, or nicer.

Read related story: Jose Javier Rodriguez hangs on despite Danny Boy’s dough

Rosen Gonzalez, like J-Rod, is a tireless campaigner. So let’s say they split the Hispanic vote. Rosen Gonzalez will likely get the Jewish vote and the preservationists vote and also the female vote. Because it looks like she will be the only Democrat woman in a primary against four or five men. DUI driver Scott Fuhrman, who ran but lost against Ros-Lehtinen last year, and UM academic advisor Michael Hepburn have both filed for ,the seat. Add to that Rodriguez, Ceruzo and, maybe, Matt Haggman, Miami program director for the Knight Foundation.

Since there are only 105 female members of Congress — or about one to every five men — Rosen Gonzalez hopes voters might hate to lose one of those, and the first seat won by a Hispanic woman, to a man. At least that’s what she’s counting on.

“There’s going to be five men in the race and me,” she said. “I can live with those odds.”

Republican primary battle shapes up for District 27

It looks like Raquel Regalado has decided what she wants to do next: Congress.

After briefly entertaining a state Senate run to replace Frank Artiles — because, really, who hasn’t? — the former Miami-Dade School Board member and recent county mayoral candidate has set her sights on District 27, the seat U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is giving up next year.

No, she hasn’t announced yet. But she’s talked to Ileana and others about it. And she’s made up her mind. No exploratory committee for her. She’s flying to D.C. this week to see if party leaders will back her bid — or at least stand out of the way during what could be an interesting primary, since Miami-Dade Commissioner Bruno Barreiro has already said he was interested in the seat. And, no, it’s not interesting just because her brother is running against his wife in another race, proving what a family affair 305 politics is (more on that later). It’s interesting also because both Bruno and Raquel have been elected and represented the area for years. Him at the county and the Florida House. Her at the School Board. They’re both proven fundraisers. They’re both bien educados and well-versed in the federal issues — transportation, housing, education. And they’re both moderate Republicans in a bellweather district that has consistenly elected the national poster child of GOP moderation.

Read related story: Two new ‘open’ seats spur political piñata question: 40 or 27?

Sure, she’s just come off a bruising election and a misogynistic campaign that trashed her with false allegations of homestead exemption fraud and belittled her knowledge and experience. But she still had somewhere around 100,000 votes in that district. And some of those people have voted for her multiple times and for her dad, Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado. In fact, Raquel didn’t even really campaign there because it was her home base. Ladra knows. I was working on her team. (For the record: I worked to elect Raquel to Miami-Dade mayor because the incumbent was the exact opposite of public servant, using the office to benefit himself and those on his friends and family plan. I do not plan to work for her congressional bid but I am still a fan and wish her the best of luck).

In fact, Ladra thinks Regalado has the GOP leg up. Her name recognition and positives in that district are probably the highest she’s got and, likely, higher than Barreiro’s. That’s even before voters are reminded of Bruno’s vote for the Marlin’s stadium deal. As commission chairman at the time, he championed and channeled the whole thing. It’s the main reason he was almost recalled at the same time as Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Commissioner Natacha Seijas Millan, but the petition gatherers fell a few signatures short.

Barreiro also voted against Commissioner Esteban Bovo‘s ordinance that would prohibit the county from contracting with any company that did business in Cuba. This might not be a big deal anywhere else. But the Cuba issue — and the Cuba PAC — plays in this congressional race.

Bruno might also be hampered a bit by his wife’s run for city of Miami commission this year. A quick look through Zoraida Barreiro’s contributions makes it obvious that he’s made some asks of county vendors or contractors. A second ask may not go as well. And what if his wife loses? And what if she wins? Wasn’t the whole point of her running because it was her turn now?

Read related story: Kristen Rosen Gonzalez to challenge Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Regalado, who jus it spent $800,000 trying to become the county mayor, may be in a similar situation since her brother, Radio Marti Exec Tommy Regalado, is running for commissioner against Mrs. Barreiro. But Regalado has political sugardaddy Norman Braman and a well-oiled machine that will benefit from the full time addition of one of its longtime members in November, when Papi is no longer alcalde and can give his daughter’s campaign 100%.

Imagine both daughter and dad — and possibly a Commissioner Tommy Regalado — on a media rampage to get her elected. Raquel is a match for Ileana in that way. Did everybody see how the congresswoman’s retirement became a weeklong story? She had press conferences for three days. She’s very active on twitter and accessible to the constituency. Really, Raquel is better at that kind of thing than Bruno is.

There’s also the fact that she’s a woman. We already have a limited number of women in Congress. It would be a shame if the first Hispanic woman elected to this great democratic body were replaced by a man. Sorry, Bruno, it just does. Best case scenario is Regalado against Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez on the Dems side (because Ladra was told that Daniella Levine Cava was caught off guard and is not going to make the jump).

It’s not if or when these days in the 305 political world, it’s where.

Folks are lining up like ducks to become the next Florida Senator in District 40, after former Sen. Frank Artiles was forced to resign over racist remarks, or maybe the next Congress member from District 27, after longtime veteran U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen announced Saturday she would not seek re-election. Some are having to choose between the two.

It’s almost like someone broke open a political piñata and the big kids are just diving in, leaving no room for the new kids to grab any candy.

The latest to officially dive into the 40 contest, even though the governor has not yet set an election date, is former Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who switched gears from considering a city of Miami commission run and filed paperwork Wednesday so he can start fundraising for a seat he is all to familiar with. The Dean DLP was in the Senate from 2000 to 2010, serving as Majority Leader and President Pro Tempore, until he was succeeded by his big brother Miguel DLP. This would be his first foray back into politics (for himself; he’s run other campaigns) since losing a bid to go back to the State House (he served as a rep from 1994 to 2000) in 2012.

This should put to rest all the talk about State Rep. Jeanette Núñez, who was being pushed hard by the Florida GOP, which is wise to be seeking a female to replace Artiles because some of his comments were misogynist, too, and you can bet that might become part of the campaign narrative if the Democrats choose a woman (read: wisely). Núñez was already loathe to have to move her family from Doral, from where she can comfortably run for Anitere Flores‘ seat when Flores terms out, which is her plan. She certainly isn’t going to run against The Dean, who was once her boss and mentor.

Read related story: Frank Artiles resigns and an old rival, Juan Zapata, could run

It should be an intresting primary nonetheless. Unless DLP is suddenly back in the GOP’s good graces, they may still push State Rep. Jose Felix Diaz into it. Pepi “The Selfie King” Diaz is said to be in the running for either U.S. Attorney General or Florida AG once Pam Bondi goes to Washington, but Ladra has been told that it’s been a difficult sell, primarily because he hasn’t really seen the inside of a courtroom, has he? Sscares away more of the multitudes on the sidelines thinking about this same senate seat, including former Miami-Dade Commissioner Juan Zapata — who has suddenly started a new, fresh round of Facebook ads — and former Miami-Dade School Board Member Raquel Regalado, who has been spending loads of time in Tallahassee since her loss to Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez and done many of her radio shows on state rather than county issues. While she lost countywide Regalado — who Ladra helped against Gimenez but is not working with in either of the other races — got tens of thousands of votes in both districts.

Interestingly enough, both Zap and Regalado are also interested in the congressional seat, for which former Cutler Bay Mayor Ed MacDougall — who lost a Congressional primary against Carlos Curbelo in 2014 — has formed an exploratory committee and Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera has said he’s thinking about it

And why wouldn’t they be?

These opportunities for open seats do not come often. In the case of District 27, where Ros-Lehtinen’s announcement came out of the blue, we already had a bunch of Democrats interested in turning that seat. These include Scott Fuhrman, the DUI driver who lost to Ros-Lehtinen in November, and Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen-Gonzalez, the primary frontrunner who has a head start on everybody else — actually challenging Ileana and not waiting until she retired — as well as some early success in the city despite coming in as the mayor’s nemesis. That is, unless Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava jumps in. She has said that she is considering it. That could be a game changer. But are both of them too Democrat to carry the general? Dems seem to think this seat is theirs for the taking.

Read related story: Kristen Rosen Gonzalez to challenge Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

What an episode of Miami Hollywood Squares

Nobody has officially jumped in from the GOP side but Regalado makes sense. Ros-Lehtinen has always been a moderate and Regalado is too. Plus, she’s up on issues like education, immigration, healthcare and housing so she can hit the ground running. I like Mac, but he’s got too problems: He’s a Trump-loving hardline conservative and a gringo. I love Zap, but he should stick to 40, which is where he lives. Regalado lives in 27. She represented much of it on the school board. This is her home base. It’s Dean DLP’s home base, too, but the numbers may not look as good for a more conservative Republican.

Still, these days, it looks like everybody is Annette Taddeo, the carpetbagging perennial candidate who has run for county commission, liutenant governor and Congress. Or David Rivera, for that matter.

Speaking of which, the former Congressman, who has tried to win his seat back and is now running for state rep in 105 (to replace termed-out Rep. Carlos Trujillo), has not expressed an interest in the senate race, which is more natural for him than the congressional seat. Just because he was spotted in Frank’s old office in the Capitol Building in Tallahassee doesn’t mean anything. He could have just been visiting his longtime friend Alina Garcia, Artiles’ former Chief of Staff who once worked for Rivera.

Taddeo, on the other hand, has of course expressed interest in both seats. As well as, let’s just put dibs on it now, any seat that may open up in the future.