It’s that time again, when Ladra separates the winners from the whiners, the power players from the posers, and the ones still pretending they didn’t lose from the ones already measuring the drapes at City Hall. No, not the candidates, silly. We’re talking about the hangers on. The consultants, activists and/or special interests that also won or lost on Tuesday.
Between Miami, Miami Beach, and Hialeah, we got a buffet of storylines this week: comebacks, meltdowns, family feuds, and at least one political obituary. So grab your cafecito (make it a double), because it’s time for the traditional Political Cortadito post-election hangover winners and losers list.
THE WINNERS ARE:

Political underdogs and fresh faces. From Bryan Calvo’s upset in Hialeah — the youngest to win the mayor’s seat, and in the first round —  to Monica Matteo-Salinas topping the field in Miami Beach’s open commission race and a restaurant manager named Rolando Escalona getting into a coveted runoff in Miami’s District 3, voters made it clear they’re tired of the same names, same faces, same donor lists. New blood is in, old guard is out — and it’s about damn time.
Political consultant Christian Ulvert. He has bounced back after a blistering year where he lost every single Miami-Dade constitutional office race to a Republican, winning handily the two incumbent seats in Miami Beach for commissioners Laura Dominguez and Alex Fernandez — who got a whopping 84% — and propelling Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins into the lead position heading into the Miami mayoral runoff. He also helped Escalona. And he dabbled a little on two of the Miami referendums — the redistricting committee and lifetime term limits — that won with almost 80% of the vote,
Veteran campaign operative Emiliano Antunez. He worked on both Calvo’s campaign and also for Team Escalona, so now he can rub that in the face of others who couldn’t work with him.
Miami-Dade Democrats. They get a much-needed boost with Eileen Higgins big lead, especially after they sent mailers on her behalf. But there’s nothing they can do about Hialeah.
Law-and-Order messaging. This seemed to work, at least in two races. Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner barely held on to his seat with his “crime is down” mantra and some creative math about spring break “cleanup.” And former Miami City Manager Emilio González, who got into the Miami mayoral runoff with Higgins, is a retired Army colonel with a lot of police endorsements. It worked. Voters still love a guy who says he’s keeping the streets safe — even if the streets sometimes disagree.
Miami voters. They were smart enough to pass the right charter amendments, like lifetime term limits, without falling for the one that wanted to sell public land without a public vote. And it’s not really a terrible choice between Higgins and Gonzalez. Both have their baggage and concerns, but either one is capable. And voters have escaped the clutches of former Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who didn’t reach 6% of the vote, and Commissioner Joe Carollo, who came in fourth and has announced his retirement from politics. We should all get on our knees and praise the lord.
The universe. Because really — Carollo retiring? After 46 years of drama, lawsuits, arrests, meltdowns, vendettas, and lawsuits about the vendettas? Ladra almost doesn’t know what to do with all this peace and quiet. Almost.

THE LOSERS ARE:

Read Full Story

And a golf cart got arrested on Election Day
The two incumbents in the Miami Beach commission elections Tuesday, Laura Dominguez and Alex Fernandez, held on to their seats with a firm grip — but not without some of that special Beach-brand political drama we’ve come to expect.
Dominguez survived a nasty, personal campaign from developer ally Fred Karlton, who tried to paint her as a sellout to special interests. The attacks didn’t stick, though — voters gave Dominguez a resounding 61% of the vote, sending Karlton packing along with his campaign sign thieves. Yes, sign thieves.
Read related: Incumbent Mayor Steve Meiner holds on in Miami Beach — but just barely
In the latest case of a quita y pon political sign squad, City Commissioner David Suarez’s brother-in-law was arrested in the wee hours Tuesday — driving an unregistered golf cart that reportedly belongs to Suarez — after being caught on video removing Dominguez’s campaign signs and replacing them with Karlton’s.
Because nothing says “good government” like a misdemeanor on wheels.
Dennis Luis Collazo, Jr., was charged only with failure to have a vehicle registration. Not theft. Or vandalism.
At first, Collazo told the cops that he and a friend were just placing Karlton signs up for his brother-in-law, the commissioner. But when officers checked the “multiple video recordings” provided by the complainant, which showed Collazo removing a Dominguez sign and replacing it with one for Karlton.
Funny notation on the arrest report: The complainant showed “a video of a third subject tossing a campaign sign over a gate, then entering a black vehicle, and driving away,” the officer wrote. “Furthermore, the complainant advised that the same black vehicle was currently behind him, which was later determined to be driven by Commissioner David Suarez.”
So, wait. Commissioner Suarez was also on the quita y pon squad? Was he armed? Remember, a judge ordered him to temporarily surrender at least a dozen guns and his concealed weapons permit to police in 2020 after photographs showed his young child “in close proximity to a variety of different weapons while in the care of his father,” according to court records.
This sure promises more than a few awkward moments at the next commission meeting, no?
Dominguez, who was elected to the City Commission in 2022 to succeed her life partner, the late Mark Samuelian, was polite in her victory statement. “I am deeply humbled and grateful for the trust residents have placed in me once again. Serving as your Commissioner in Group 2 has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” she posted on Instagram, adding that the victory was shared “by every neighbor who believes in putting residents first and keeping our city safe, resilient, and strong.”
Read related: Laura Dominguez wins Miami Beach seat vacated by late commissioner
She thanked her supporters and volunteers “and every voter who made their voice heard in this election. The work doesn’t stop here. I will continue listening, solving problems, and fighting for the people who make Miami Beach the incredible community we are proud to call home.
Meanwhile, Fernandez cruised to reelection in Group III with a whopping 84% of the vote, proving that in Miami Beach, loyalty and name recognition still go a long way — especially when your opponent, Luidgi Mary, ran a campaign that barely made a ripple.
“My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude for the trust our community has placed in me,” Fernandez, who had the endorsement of The Miami Herald and Save, among others, said in a statement, noting the historic nature of his win. “No mayor or commissioner in my lifetime has ever received as many votes and no commissioner in our city’s history has been elected with such a high percentage. This was truly a record breaking victory and it belongs to you – the people of Miami Beach – who believe in steady, respectful, thoughtful, and compassionate leadership that puts people first.
“I was raised to believe that public service is both a privilege and a responsibility. Over these past four years, our work has proven that progress comes not from division but from collaboration, listening, and respect. Together, we’ve made our neighborhoods safer, protected tenants and homeowners, advanced long-delayed flood-prevention projects, brought renewed focus to the health of our waterways, and fought to preserve thearchitectural character and history that make Miami Beach unlike anywhere else.”
Fernandez is running for mayor next. You heard it here first.
Read related: Miami Beach commission candidate is daughter of cop-turned-serial-killer
But the real suspense is in the Group I race, where six candidates battled for the open seat vacated by term-limited Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, who very narrowly lost her bid for mayor to incumbent Steven Meiner.
The runoff is now set for Dec. 9 between Monica Matteo-Salinas, a city staffer and former aide to both Fernandez and Rosen Gonzalez, and Monique Pardo Pope, a lawyer and vice president of the Women’s Cancer Association of the University of Miami. Matteo-Salinas finished first with 23% of the vote; Pardo Pope edged out Brian Ehrlich with 20%, which was less than one percent more to claim the second spot.
And in classic Miami Beach style, this race comes with a dose of tabloid-worthy backstory.
Pardo Pope has spent the last few months battling headlines about her father — Manuel Pardo, the ex–Sweetwater cop turned convicted serial killer executed by the state in 2012. In old social media posts, she called him her “hero,” prompting a wave of outrage and gawking curiosity. But Pardo Pope struck a note of redemption, telling voters she’s “confident they will look past the sins of my father.”
“I had to make a conscious decision, between myself and God, to forgive him,” she wrote.
Whether voters are willing to do the same remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure — the runoff is going to be muy interesante.
So, to recap: A sitting commissioner wins reelection despite a sign-stealing scandal involving a colleague’s family member. Another coasts to victory with numbers that makes his head swell. And the open-seat runoff features a former aide to two commissioners versus the daughter of a serial killer.
If you thought Miami Beach elections were boring, you haven’t been paying attention.
Ladra’s advice? Grab your popcorn — and maybe wear a body cam.

You can help produce more independent, watchdog government reporting of our local government and campaigns with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Click here. Ladra thanks you for your support.

The post Miami Beach commission races give us two incumbents, one dramatic runoff appeared first on Political Cortadito.

Read Full Story

Is it our birthday? Did Christmas come early? What did we do to deserve this gift from God?
After four decades of drama, lawsuits, late-night stalking and public tirades that made Miami politics look like a telenovela written by Kafka, City Commissioner Joe Carollo, who just placed fourth in the mayoral race Tuesday and missed the runoff, says he’s finally retiring from elected office. He’s going to his long-awaited Shangri-la — whatever form that takes for him.
Yes, that Joe Carollo. Crazy Joe. The man who sued the police union, feuded with his own city manager, and cost taxpayers $63 million for what a jury called political retaliation. The man who’s been haunting City Hall longer than the asbestos.
“It’s the first day of my life. My future life,” Carollo told the Miami Herald the morning after finishing with just over 11% in a field of 13 candidates. Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins and former City Manager Emilio González — who Carollo basically forced to resign in January of 2020 — made the runoff.
“I’m 70 years old. I’m not going to be doing this again,” Carollo told the city’s daily.
Ladra doesn’t usually cry tears of joy, but today she got close.
It’s the end of an era — or maybe the end of an error. Carollo, Miami’s favorite chaos agent, was first elected in 1979, back when Miami Vice wasn’t even on TV yet. He went from commissioner to mayor in the ’90s, got booted out in 2001, and then, like a bad sequel, returned in 2017 to “save” the city again. Over the years, he’s been the protagonist, the villain, and the comic relief — often all at once.
Read related: Commissioner Joe Carollo: Miami’s favorite chaos agent runs for mayor
And now, after losing the mayoral race to Higgins and González — who head to a December 9 runoff — he says he’s done. For reals this time.
“I’m not going to run for office,” he told the paper, “but I’m going to be involved in different ways at different levels.”
Translation: don’t exhale just yet.
Because if there’s one thing Joe Carollo loves more than microphones, it’s revenge. And he’s still got a few commission meetings left before he packs up his paranoia and his parking pass. Plus, his little brother Frank is in a December runoff for Joe’s District 3 seat against Rolando Escalona — the Sexy Fish guy. So there’s still time for a little more family drama before the final curtain.
He may also still have a stash of cash in his political action committee, Miami First, raised almost $1.4 million just this year through Sept. 30. Sure, some of it was spent on the special D4 race getting Ralph Rosado elected. But as of the end of the third quarter, he still had about $820,000. It’s unlikely he spent it all on his terrible mayoral campaign — even though he sent out mailers practically every day to attack Gonzalez — but he could be providing himself with kickbacks for advertising or paying himself for data.
It’s still likely he will stay involved in trying to control things from the outside. He’s 70, but he still has a lot of fire in his belly. Ladra wonders if he’ll go back to the morning radio show he did on AmericaRadio before the campaign. You know, the one he used to attack his political enemies and other foes, real or imagined.
Read related: Commissioner Joe Carollo freelances as ‘Miami Al Dia’ morning AM radio host
Carollo surprisingly answered the phone when Ladra called, but he kept interrupting with questions about my marriage, suggesting that my ex husband was a Cuban spy and making other comments about my love life that are really inappropriate and show the kind of person he is, while someone laughed in the background. They sounded drunk, but Ladra doesn’t know if Joe drinks. He said he had all kinds of information on me, like that’s frightening or something. I’m an open book.
But let’s take a moment to savor this historic Miami miracle anyway. After decades of blaming everyone else — from the media to chavista money laundering and other imaginary conspiracies — Joe Carollo finally told the Herald the words everyone has wanted to hear: “You can’t blame me for anything anymore.”
Oh, Joe. Somehow, Ladra is certain that we can. You are still to blame for the millions in legal fees that the taxpayers have spent to defend the indefensible. You are still to blame for the countless of lives you altered with your streak for revenge. And you are still to blame for creating a culture of fear from weaponized government.
And, let’s face it, we’re all afraid you’re not really done.
But if it’s true, if this really is your swan song… then all Ladra can say is hallelujah and pass the cafecito.
Because after 46 years, Miami might finally get a break from the chaos — and a little peace at City Hall.

You can help produce more independent, watchdog government reporting of our local government and campaigns with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Click here. Ladra thanks you for your support.

The post Could it be true? Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo says he’s done with politics appeared first on Political Cortadito.

Read Full Story

Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner can keep his corner office at City Hall — but he almost lost it. Miami Beach voters re-elected him Tuesday night by a thin margin, giving him about 51% of the vote over Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, who came within striking distance at 49%.
It was a squeaker at a 357-vote difference. That means that if 170 of those votes had flipped, it would have tipped it the other way. And for a guy who’s been touting “cleaning up spring break” and “reducing crime by almost 20%,” that’s hardly the landslide mandate he was hoping for.
“You saw the work that we did the last two years,” Meiner told supporters after his win. “We cleaned up spring break, we reduced crime almost 20%, our homeless count is almost one of the lowest.”
Almost one of the lowest? Is that because homeless persons accounted for 42% of all arrests in Miami Beach in 2024, reaching 53% of all arrests in February of this year?
That is one seriously villainous victory lap, but anyone who’s walked down Ocean Drive after midnight might wonder what measuring stick Meiner is using. Sure, things have been tamer since the city cracked down on spring break crowds — but that came with curfews, roadblocks, revenue losses and lawsuits. Not exactly business-friendly beach vibes.
Read related: Keon Hardemon blasts Miami Beach’s “Draconian” Spring Break measures
Still, Meiner’s pitch to voters worked just enough: keep the peace, keep the cops, and keep the party contained. And apparently, enough residents preferred that over starting from scratch.
Across town, Rosen Gonzalez — the college professor and self-styled reformer who once called herself “the most honest person in Miami Beach politics” (which, honestly, might be true) — thanked supporters and congratulated Meiner for the win.
“We put our heart and soul into this campaign and I couldn’t see us working harder,” she said. “So I’d like to congratulate Steven Meiner. He ran a great race too, and it was hard going up against an incumbent.”
Rosen Gonzalez was endorsed by The Miami Herald, SAVE, several labor unions and local Democrats. She ran on restoring civility and refocusing City Hall on “the economy, water quality, and transit,” instead of the constant personality clashes that have made Miami Beach politics its own reality show. She also wasn’t shy about calling out Meiner’s narrative on public safety, pointing out that while overall crime may be down, violent offenses are up — and residents still don’t feel as safe as the mayor’s talking points claim.
Read related: Kristen 3.0? Miami Beach firebrand commissioner vs Mayor Steve Meiner
“We focused this campaign on issues that really impact people — public safety, the environment, the economy,” a downbeat Rosen Gonzalez told Political Cortadito Wednesday morning as she second guessed herself and thought about things she didn’t do. “What we didn’t do was talk about the hyper partisan part of it.”
While this race was technically nonpartisan — which is so cute to say nowadays — local Democrats did support Rosen Gonzalez and painted Meiner as an out-of-touch conservative not in line with the Beach values.
They reminded voters about Meiner’s proposal to terminate O Cinema’s lease and pull funding because it screened the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” which covers Palestinian displacement in the West Bank. He called the film “one-sided propaganda … not consistent with the values of our City and resident.” The issue raised real questions about censorship, artistic freedom, city support of arts institutions, and the politics of referencing the Israel/Palestine conflict in local government, which seems to be a recurring theme, and triggered strong backlash from artists, free-speech advocates (including the ACLU), the filmmakers, and local residents. So much so that the commission voted 5-2 against it and Meiner withdrew the proposal.
The Democratic Party also told voters about the lingering, unanswered questions about Meiner’s sudden resignation from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Miami office, where he was an enforcement attorney since 2007, after three former employees alleged he made unwelcome sexual advances or displayed other inappropriate behavior while at the agency. One intern claimed he tried to kiss her. The SEC’s national human‐resources team reportedly began interviewing current and former colleagues in the Miami office about Meiner’s conduct. Meiner, who was elected mayor shortly after the allegations surfaced, responded by denying the allegations, and suggested the claims may have been motivated by anti-Israel or antisemitic bias.
Because of course he did.
Read related: Miami Beach mayor wants more ‘decorum’ among city officials, residents
But none of those reminders worked. And Meiner, who already had the ultra religious and orthodox vote, got the MAGA vote behind him at the end. Rosen Gonzalez was winning with the absentee or mail-in ballots by 137 votes, and Meiner caught up during early voting and on Election Day.
So what does this nail-biter mean? Meiner keeps his job, but not by much — and with nearly half the city voting for change, he can’t exactly pretend it’s smooth sailing.
His win was arguably more about fear of chaos than faith in leadership. And if Rosen Gonzalez managed to come that close against an incumbent with the police union, the business crowd, and the “no more spring break madness” brigade behind him, that says something.
Miami Beach voters may have stuck with Meiner this time, but they sent a message too: no more strongman politics disguised as public safety.
Ladra’s guess? The mayor might have kept the beach under control — but keeping the commission in line for another two years is going to be the real wild ride. And it might hinge on who wins the runoff in the commission Group 1 seat (more on that later).
As for the termed out Rosen Gonzalez, you can bet she won’t let the momentum of her coalition go to waste, She plans on continuing to contribute in some way — and Ladra predicts she wil try again.

You can help produce more independent, watchdog government reporting of our local government and campaigns with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Click here. Ladra thanks you for your support.

The post Incumbent Mayor Steve Meiner holds on in Miami Beach — but just barely appeared first on Political Cortadito.

Read Full Story

Miami voters didn’t give anyone the keys to City Hall Tuesday night, but they did serve up a spicy little runoff, as expected, between Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins and former City Manager Emilio González — two candidates who couldn’t be more different, except for the fact that they both promise to end chaos in a city that runs on it.
But the best news that everyone was celebrating into Wednesday morning: Neither Commissioner Joe Carollo nor former Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla got anywhere close to the runoff, with ADLP scoring single digits.
With all precincts counted — and results delayed for about 30 minutes later than usual (more on that later) — Higgins came in first with nearly 36%, almost double what González pulled with just over 19% in a 13-candidate free-for-all.
And in true Miami fashion, both claimed victory anyway.
Read related: Poll has Eileen Higgins in Miami mayoral runoff with Emilio González
At her election night party — a chic penthouse bar at the Yotel, naturally — Higgins walked out to cheers and hugs from her fellow Democrat, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava,  and they raised their hands together like they’d just won the tag-team championship. Earlier in the day, La Alcaldesa had called Higgins “the yin to my yang.”
Before the crowd, Higgins was ebullient. “We’re done with dysfunction,” she said. “We’re done with chaos.”
Ladra almost spit out her café. Done with dysfunction? In Miami? Okay, querida. Maybe she should have said, “We’re going to put the fun back in dysfunction.”
But the crowd loved it, and Higgins doubled down in Spanish as the TV cameras rolled. She’s aiming to become the city’s first female and first non-Hispanic mayor in… well, in a very long time, and she knows exactly who she’s up against: a Cuban American former general who once ran the airport.
Oh, and someone she used to work with. Because in Miami, everyone has worked with everyone.
In a statement, Higgins said it was a team effort and celebrated what she said was a new day for Miami.
“The people of Miami made history. Together, we turned the page on years of chaos and corruption and opened the door to a new era for our city — one defined by ethical, accountable leadership that delivers real results for the people,” she said.
“This victory belongs to every resident who knocked on doors, gathered petitions, made phone calls, and believed that integrity and hard work could triumph over politics as usual. Together, we built something extraordinary: a movement powered not by insiders or special interests, but by Miamians who love their city and demanded better.
“Tonight, we celebrate not just a victory, but a new beginning for Miami — a city that belongs to all of us, and a future we will build together.”
Meanwhile, over in Little Havana, Emilio González was basking in the glow of the neon sign at Hoy Como Ayer, taking selfies and telling anyone who would listen that the voters were hungry for “something new.”
Read related: Emilio Gonzalez will ‘clean up’ Miami — but he was there when it got dirty
“I worked very hard for this. My team worked very hard for this,” Gonzalez told The Miami Herald. “But more than anything else, the residents of the city of Miami have spoken. They want to see something different, they want to see something new, they want a new direction for the city. And I’m honored that I’ve been selected by them to take this a step further, and on December the 9th, let’s do this again.”
Emilio is running on being the outsider — which is rich, considering the man literally ran the city not that long ago.
But hey, this is Miami. Up is down, down is up, and everyone is the reform candidate.
“I’m not a career politician,” Emilio insisted. “She is.”
Higgins was quick to shoot that right back.
“The era of chaos happened when he was city manager,” she told the Miami Herald. “We already know what Emilio would do as mayor.”
Shots fired. Buckle up, Miami. December 9 is going to be spicy.
Poor Ken Russell. Mr. Paddleboard finished a respectable third place with about 18% — just over 700 votes under Gonzalez and not enough to keep the dream alive. The former Miami commissioner, who resigned in 2022 to run for Congress, closed the gap in recent weeks, particularly after the first debate, where he took his gloves off and people saw a new Ken. But maybe it was too late.

Still, his crowd at Sandbar Sports Grill looked like they were watching a Heat playoff game, not a concession speech. Russell kept it upbeat, talking about hope and reform and the fact that, mercifully, Miami voters left Carollo and Díaz de la Portilla near the bottom of the pack, where they belong.
“People want change,” he said. “They are not putting up with yesterday.”
Honestly, that line alone probably helps Higgins more than his endorsement ever could.
In a somber post-election video posted to Instagram, Russell said he just didn’t have the resources to get his message across. “Id didn’t happen guys. Did not happen. Miami went another way,” he said, between sighs. “That’s the problem with being an underdog. Sometimes they come out under.
“There was the establishment Democrat, the hardcore MAGA Republican and me in third, and I lost by 700 votes,” he said. “It really breaks my heart because there was a lot of people gathering hope for Miami, and that’s not easy.”
Read related: Ken Russell wants another shot at Miami City Hall — as mayor this time
But he also said it was not all bad news:
“There is something to be happy about, because we built something that created a movement of people that were excited for reform, that they’re sick of the dynasties, they’re sick of the corruption, and all three of the dynasty candidates ended up in the bottom,” he said, referring also to former Miami Mayor and former county commissioner Xavier Suarez, who came in sixth after Carollo and ADLP.
“We did harness a big movement for reform, and people were really sick of this, and they showed up,” he said. “The top three candidates were all the reform candidates and the bottom three candidates were all the dynasties of yesterday, and they all lost hard.”
Wednesday morning, he woke up a bit happier. “Underdogs don’t lose. We just continue to be underdogs,” he posted.
“For everyone who woke up to hold their government accountable yesterday, don’t give up hope or withdraw from action. Love your friends, fight for what’s right, stand up for freedom, and resist oppression. Thank you for believing in a better Miami. We beat the corrupt dynasties that all finished behind me. And we voted in a term limit charter amendment last night that will keep them from returning.”
Higgins heads into the runoff as the favorite. She’s got the name recognition, the fundraising machine, and the whole “serious adult” vibe that Miami voters seem to be craving after years of scandals, indictments, screaming matches and more lawsuits than a week’s worth of Caso Cerrado episodes.
And if the trend continues –Democratic voters outnumbered Republicans, with 16,633 turning out against 11,396 GOP voters — Higgins will have another advantage in a few weeks. While this is a non-partisan race, there really is no such thing in Miami-Dade anymore. That turnout — a scant 21% in total — might reflect the electorate’s disgust with state and national GOP leaders — and may repeat on Dec. 9 if Gonzalez doesn’t lay off the heavy Republican background.
Gonzalez, meanwhile, is banking on those big red endorsements, the law and order vote and nostalgia — the idea that a retired colonel who once ran the airport and City Hall can bring discipline to a city that routinely loses its keys, its records, and sometimes its commissioners.
This race is going to get messy — fast.
Higgins wants to paint Emilio as the ultimate insider. Gonzalez wants to paint Eileen as the ultimate politician. And voters are stuck choosing between two reformers in a city allergic to reform.
But one thing is certain: Miami rejected the old ghosts. Carollo and ADLP finished so low they needed scuba gear.
Now the real fight begins.

You can help produce more independent, watchdog government reporting of our local government and campaigns with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Click here. Ladra thanks you for your support.

Read Full Story

The ink on Miami’s new lifetime term limits isn’t even dry — and already, some voters are asking a judge to make sure the city doesn’t pretend not to see it.
Three Miami residents — Victor Milanes, Alex Almirola and Oscar Elio Alejandro, who case in fourth— filed an emergency injunction Tuesday night to block Frank Carollo from appearing on the December runoff ballot in the District 3 commission race.
Their argument is simple: voters just passed Referendum 4, the lifetime term limit amendment, and they meant what they said.
“Miami voters spoke clearly when they passed Referendum 4,” their statement reads. “They want to end the revolving door of politicians cycling through office and set clear lifetime limits on elected office applied retroactively as stated on the ballot measure.”
Translation: enough with the Carollo reruns.
Read related: Bait and switch on lifetime term limits proposal for Miami mafia politicos
Frank Carollo, who served two full terms as District 3 commissioner before his brother Joe Carollo took over the seat in 2019, led an eight-candidate field in Tuesday’s election with almost 38% of the vote. He is expected to face Rolando Escalona, who got just over 17%, in a runoff next month.
But there’s one little problem — the voters just banned exactly this kind of comeback tour.
The lifetime term limit charter amendment, approved overwhelmingly by almost 80% of the voters, bars anyone who’s already served two full terms from ever holding the same city office again. Retroactively.
As in, starting now.
“Voters have chosen a fresh start –- a government that serves the public interest, and leaders who reflect our city’s future, not its past,” the three voters’ statement reads. “Enforcing this reform is the only way to ensure that the people’s will is clear, consistent, and fully upheld — and that the new chapter Miami voters demanded begins today.”
So while Frank Carollo, who was endorsed by the Miami Fraternal Order of Police, may have gotten the most votes — maybe it was all those birthday cakes he delivered to voters — the new rule voters passed on the very same ballot could make him ineligible to take office at all.
Read related: Miami Voters get it right on the fine print referendums: Yes, No, Yes, Yes
Cue the lawyers.
The Miami police union endorsed Frank Carollo in the D3 race.
The lawsuit asks the court to enforce the term limits immediately, calling it “essential to ensure that the voters’ mandate for reform is both respected and enforced.”
It was filed by former State Rep. JC Planas, who recently lost the supervisor of elections race, but just won a case for Escalona brought against him by Denise Galvez Turros, who knew she couldn’t beat him at the polls, and only got 7%. That’s less than Alejandro, Rob Piper and Brenda Betancourt.
Ouch. But maybe he is used to it after losing a commission race in 2017 to the late Manolo Reyes because she lived in District 4 then. She was drawn into D3.
Planas argues that allowing a candidate who’s already done two full terms to stay on the ballot would “directly undermine that mandate and risk nullifying the very reform voters just enacted.”
In other words, you can’t promise voters a new day in Miami politics and then let one of the old guys waltz back in the next morning.
This is why Commissioner Damian Pardo tied the lifetime term limits to moving the elections to next year, precisely to avoid this from happening.
On the same night voters approved lifetime term limits — a direct rebuke to the political class that’s run City Hall like a revolving door for decades — one of the first people trying to walk through that door again happened to be… a Carollo.
You can’t make this stuff up.
This is the second lawsuit in this race. Last week, a judge ruled against candidate Denise Galvez Turros, who came in fourth with just over 7%, when she tried to kick Escalona off the ballot based on allegations that he did not live in the district. A judge found that he provided enough evidence that, yeah, he did.
Read related: Judge: Rolando Escalona belongs on Miami ballot for D3 commissioner
It’s not clear how quickly a judge might rule on this emergency motion or whether the city clerk will hit pause on certifying the runoff ballot until the case is decided. But this is Miami — so expect the legal drama to get messy fast.
City lawyers, election officials, and maybe even the Carollo brothers themselves could get pulled into this fight over whether “lifetime” really means lifetime, or just until the next loophole comes along.
Voters said loud and clear Tuesday that they want new blood at City Hall — not the same last names on repeat.
If the court sides with them, it could be the first real test — and victory — for the “new Miami” that reformers keep talking about.
If not, well… let’s just say Ladra wouldn’t bet against seeing the same old faces haunting the dais again.

You can help produce more independent, watchdog government reporting of our local government and campaigns with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Click here. Ladra thanks you for your support.

Lawsuit to get Frank Carollo off the D3 runoff ballot by Political Cortadito
The post Miami voters sue to keep Frank Carollo off the runoff ballot after term-limit win appeared first on Political Cortadito.

Read Full Story