Municipal and state candidates wait in the wings

If anyone ever made an argument for term limits, it was Miami-Dade Commissioner Esteban Bovo just last week when he was sworn in as the new chairman of the board and talked about actually making decisions in the next two years because, after all, this is his last term and he’s got a looming deadline.

“We embark on a new era, an era that is tied directly to term limits, and that is going to affect how we conduct the business of the people of Miami-Dade,” Bovo said “It becomes very clear to me that we have to work in an expedited fashion.”

Apparently so.

Read related story: Carlos Gimenez, er, Stevie Bovo wins commission chair

Bovo ain’t alone in preparing his exit. Term limits approved by voters in 2012 mean that six commissioners will be out of office and replaced in 2020 (Jordan, Edmonson, Barreiro, Suarez, Moss and Bovo). Another six will be replaced in 2022 (Monestime, Heyman, Levine Cava, Sosa, Souto and Diaz), leaving only newly elected Commissioner Joe Martinez (that sounds weird) on the dais with 12 fresh faces. Although “fresh” might be an overstatement.

This is the 305, after all, where recycling politicians is not just a sport, it’s a cottage industry. The most likely replacements will be electeds who move up the political ladder from municipal office or down from the state legislature to Miami-Dade.

It’s no secret, for example, that State Sen. Anitere Flores has long been eyeing Commissioner Javier Souto‘s county seat and that former Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner is waiting for Commissioner Xavier Suarez to be termed out so she can run for an open seat.

Flores pretty much has it in the bag. But Lerner might find, however, that it’s not going to be just handed over to her. Coral Gables Commissioner Vince Lago surely has higher aspirations and Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, who is termed out this year, may find retirement boring. Anything is better than Mayor Carlos Gimenez wanting his old seat back or, knock on wood, his lobbyist son, who just started his own consulting firm wheeling and dealing for Latin American interests who want the ear of our President Donald Trump.

Read related story: Mayor’s son lobbies Trump with silent, same ol’ partners

Some districts have more potential hopefuls waiting in the wings than others. Take Commissioner Bruno Barreiro‘s seat. His replacement could come from either Miami Beach or the city of Miami. Maybe Miami Commissioner Frank Carollo hasn’t filed paperwork because he’s thinking of jumping the bridge to the 111 building. Ladra wouldn’t be surprised at all if former Commissioner Marc Sarnoff ran. He’s been conspicuously quiet. And what if former Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla thinks the city of Miami is too small for him?

But this is also an opportunity for former Miami Beach Commissioners Deede Weithorn and Michael Gongora (pictured here), both of whom lost state bids last year. It very well could turn into a Miami vs. Miami Beach thing.

District 13 might also get a clusterbunch of candidates when Bovo runs for mayor in 2020. Ladra suspects that newly-elected Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid has aspirations beyond the town. He just seems so ambitious. And he’s worked closely with Bovo on several district initiatives. Chances are, just from the sheer number of them, that he will have a challenge out of Hialeah. Maybe Carlos Hernandez. Maybe Vivian Casals-Munoz. Maybe even State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez, who has been quietly lobbying for the megamall development in Northwest Miami-Dade, which is coming before the commission this week (more on that later).

Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter ought to run for Daniella Levine Cava‘s seat in District 8. It’s really a good way to continue to advocate for your hometown, which is largely ignored. Ladra thinks he’d get the support of the Democrats and labor groups that supported Daniella. We would have said former Sen. Dwight Bullard would run for Levine’s or Moss’s seat — whichever one he lived in — except he apparently moved to Gadsen County to run for chairman of the Florida Democratic Party. He may move back. It’s not unthinkable. And don’t count former Commissioner Lynda Bell out. Sure, she lost to Levine Cava in 2012, but she could come back. Stranger things have happened. Recently. The very Repubican pro-life advocate may feel empowered.

Read related story: Voters replace Luigi Boria with first mayor J.C. Bermudez

Former Doral Councilwoman Sandra Ruiz might jump at the chance to run for Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz‘s seat. She might finally be able to win one, with the Democratic Party’s help again, especially if her only opponent is Sweetwater Mayor Orlando Lopez. But there’s always the hope of a rematch. After all, former Doral Mayor Luigi Boria , who loaned himself quite a bit for a failed mayoral re-election, has the money to run another race if his ego gets the best of him. And, now, he also has the time. But Ruiz likely has the support of Doral Mayor J.C. Bermudez, who just beat Boria decidedly in November. That is, if he doesn’t run himself. It isn’t entirely out of the question either; Bermudez at one point mulled a run for county mayor.

Certainly, Ladra has forgotten some notable recyclables who are just chomping at the bit. Please feel free to add your own predictions in the comments below.

Of course, all these “new” people — recycled electeds and any fresh faces that may sprout — start with the clock running already. Nobody is going to get 27 years, like Souto and Commissioner Dennis Moss will have served by the time they are forced to leave the dais almost, practically at gunpoint. The new batch of commissioners will have only eight short (?) years to get things done and that’s it. Then there’s a whole new crop of people coming in every four years. The turnaround should be a fantastic motivator.

Maybe we should shorten term limits to four years. Imagine how much more would get done.

Doral’s founding mayor, who served from 2003 until he was termed out in 2012, was sent back to City Hall Tuesday by voters who connected to his getting Doral “back on track” message — and who tossed out an incumbent that had waged a particularly nasty campaign.

J.C. Bermudez won with a whopping 67 percent, a total of 4,680 votes — almost twice as many as incumbent Mayor Luigi Boria, with 2,347. That amounted to only 33 percent, despite several last minute attempts to sway voters, including a false and frivolous complaint filed with the Florida Elections Commission and a ridiculous request for an investigation by the State Attorney’s Office that will be good for a laugh.

Read related story: Ladra responds to Luigi Boria and his silly press conference

It’s the same percentage he got in the first round when there were three candidates, with former Councilwoman Sandra Ruiz coming in third. That means Boria reached his ceiling Nov. 8.

And this despite the fact that Boria outspent Bermudez by more than 2 to 1, judging by the documented campaign reports. Between them, the two men spent almost $1.2 million to become mayor of Doral — which Ladra is sure will be a record for the young city. Boria spent the bulk of that, with almost $800,000 between his campaign and his Doral United political action committee. But what he raised was little more than half a million — because he loaned $265,000 to himself.

While he waged a nasty campaign, the incumbent was (sorta) gracious in his concession speech.

“I never considered myself a politician… For me, the people were always first, before the politics,” Boria said to a group of supporters before he addressed the links his brother-in-law has to an office where eight voters were registered illegally (the subject of a Political Cortadito post that he claims was paid, el pobre).

“I never deviated from the laws. I never did anything inappropriate. They painted this whole picture, but I consider myself an honest person, a tolerant person, a person with integrity and a person with values,” he said.

Read related story: Possible voter fraud in Doral may have ties to Luigi Boria

“I know my vision is different from that of J.C. Bermudez, but I know he has a vision for the city. I congratulate him and recognize that he worked hard… God knows what he is doing. If I win God, has someting good for me. If I lose, God has something good for us.”

In a television interview, Boria even said that Bermudez had been a hard worker and “great servant to this city.”

Former Councilwoman Sandra Ruiz, right, threw her support behind JC Bermudez after the first round.

What a difference a day makes, huh?

But Bermudez might not be in the same collegial mood. He can’t be. Sandra Ruiz will not let him be. Bermudez was elected by people unhappy with Boria and the scandals marked by his tenure and the instability he brought to the administration and the lack of transparency in Doral government. Bermudez is going to have to go into City Hall and start opening drawers and looking behind the shelves to see shat kind of mess Boria left that we don’t know about.

“The people clearly sent a message that they wanted change,” Bermudez said in a TV interview Tuesday night. Ladra was unable to reach him and he did not return calls.

“They want to bring Doral back to the values it once had,” he was quoted as saying in the Miami Herald. “It’s a great message from the community that it’s about decency not money, honesty and not dirty campaigning.”

Read related story: Nasty Doral mayoral race tops $1 million approaching runoff

His message throughout the campaign was to get Doral “back on track” as far as the master plan for development and the transparency and accountability in government that the city was founded for in the first place.

In the council race that also was forced into a runoff Tuesday, longtime activist Claudia Mariaca, a council meeting regular who celebrated with the Bermudez campaign Tuesday night and spoke at his podium (pictured, right) — and who might be the first Argentine elected in Miami-Dade (or the U.S.?) — beat Adriana Moyano, who had the same consultant as Boria, 56 to 44 percent.

Ladra is not sure when the swearing in is. But the next council meeting, according to the city website, is the next day.

Good thing both Bermudez and Mariaca can hit the ground running.

It’s becoming a broken record: Politicians lie or cheat or steal or hide something or otherwise fail us and when Ladra exposes it — or simply points out something curious that they don’t want anyone to notice — they shout “witch” to redirect the attention from themselves.

This has happened to Ladra over and over again since I started Political Cortadito in 2010. First it was former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina in the 2011 recall mayoral race claiming that Carlos Gimenez was paying me. Then it was his successor, Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez, claiming that former Mayor Raul Martinez had paid me off in his comeback attempt. Then it was Carlos Gimenez, in a strange twist, whose family told people that the PBA was paying me to write critical posts about Not So Golden Boy. Then it was then congressional candidate Carlos Curbelo, telling reporters that the only reason I wrote about him putting his company in his wife’s name to intentionally hide his client list from the public — a story that broke on Political Cortadito — was because he didn’t advertise here. After that, it was Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine who called me a “paid political assasin.”

There have been a few, less memorable others. The latest clown to make these spurious accusations is Doral Mayor Luigi Boria.

First, in a video he emailed to supporters on Saturday, where he called me Ileana del Valle — getting my name wrong three times — and said that he had “received information” that I was a paid operative on the campaign. Then, again, in a hastily called press conference at his personal office Monday morning, he said “numerous sources” had told him that former Mayor J.C. Bermudez and former Counciwoman Sandra Ruiz — who came in third place in the first round and has since endorsed Bermudez — paid me to write a post that exposes the link his family has to an election fraud investigation. He announced that he had filed a complaint against me with the Florida Division of Elections and the State Attorney’s Office. He provided the news media at the press conference with copies of the complaint with the Elections Commission and the request for an investigation with the SAO. 

Read related story: Nasty Doral race tops $1 mil approaching runoff

First off, there would have to be a crime for the SAO to investigate. I called a source to ask if they had received the request. He laughed. “I don’t like the price of eggs but we can’t open an investigation into it. We deal with crimes here.” He assured me that even if I had been paid by the Bermudez campaign, it would not be a crime. As far as the Elections Commission is concerned, the complaint is against Bermudez. The claim is that he did not report my alleged fee in his campaign report.

But, dear readers, it is not in the report because no payment was made. Boria admitted to the press at his little dog and pony show that he has no evidence (because there is none). You know when I am paid by somebody. Because I tell you. Because it is only unethical if I don’t tell you. And I tell you at some risk and expense. Because you complain. Loudly. You don’t like it. And I don’t blame you. I don’t like it either. I’ve only done it a few times, and only because I felt that my contributions would truly help the right candidate or, at the very least, help get rid of the wrong candidate. It’s always been with the best intentions.

But in those few cases, anyone whose campaign I contribute to knows very well that the blog is off limits to them. There is a firewall — like the one that exists between advertising and editorial at The Miami Herald and at WPLG Local 10 — and Political Cortadito will never be used to smear someone’s opponent with lies or exaggerations or the wrong context or to bring up old and irrelevant arrest records on people who help or support their opponent. Have the suggestions (read: requests) been made? Perhaps. And I’ve loudly refused and made it known that under no circumstances would the blog be used as a campaign tool. It may not have always gone over well. Oh, well.

And the few times I have written about races in which I have been involved (during the Raquel Regalado and Ralph Cabrera campaigns) it has only been because the mainstream media has missed important stories, angles, details or connections — or the inside baseball shenanigans that are the very reason Political Cortadito exists. Trust me, when I am wearing my media consultant’s hat, I would much rather get the Miami Herald or Michael Putney or Erika Carrillo to cover some issue or conflict of interest for my candidate. But when they miss, and they sometimes do because everybody is cutting back on local coverage, it’s Ladra’s fair bone to pick.

Why should my carefully chosen candidates be deprived of something others get for free?

There’s more. Please press this “continue reading” button to “turn the page.”

Finally, one of the infamous rivalries in Doral is going to battle on the ballot: Former mayor J.C. Bermudez and Councilwoman Sandra Ruiz both want to be the mayor.

Bermudez announced last month — though he has been rumored to be mulling it over since a poll showed him blowing Boria out of the water last year. Ruiz, who is termed out, jumped in Thursday morning — like Ladra knew she would. She couldn’t let this opportunity get away.

“I’m ready. I have this side of me that says ‘Enough is enough,’” said Ruiz, who is termed out anyway. “There are some things I’ve been wanting to do. I’ve been asking a long time.”

But her hands are tied by the administration and Mayor Luigi Boria.

“I have a different vision for the city,” said Ruiz, who supported Councilman Pete Cabrera‘s run for mayor against Boria in 2012.

Read related story: Doral inquiry — a political, preemptive strike against JC Bermudez?

While Doral is not a strong mayor form of government, which means council members have the same vote, the mayor does set the agenda, leads the meetings and acts as chief administrator at City Hall.

“Whoever says it is the same thing has never been elected and walked in the heels of a council member,” said Ruiz, who admitted to getting a little blow back already.

“Forget the fact of who is in it now. The seat itself is so important. You represent the city. You are able to go to other governmental agencies and represent Doral,” she said, in a sideways dig to Boria, whose accented English and brash style are legend among 305 electeds.

“The current mayor hasn’t transferred any of those responsibilities to me, knowing well that I have 14 years plus of experience,” Ruiz told Ladra. “I don’t think my experience has been put to the utmost use.”

Boria is also running for re-election, but Ladra thinks this has already become a two man, er, I mean two person race. This is a longtime rivalry from when they served on the dais together. Ruiz, remember, led the charge to change the name of JC Bermudez Park to Doral Central Park.

JC Bermudez and Sandra Ruiz served on the dais together in 2009

Bermudez vs Ruiz is just such a natural conflict. Like Pepsi vs. Coke, the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Washington Redskins or the Yankees vs. the Mets, Marvel vs. DC, Burger King vs. McDonald’s. Taylor Swift vs. Katy Perry, good vs. evil.

Ruiz casts herself as Perry. “I always seem to be the underdog,” she said, though she has won every council seat she has sought. She only lost one election, for State House in 2010 and lost to Republican Jeanette Nunez (32 to 63 percent).

Maybe that is why the “excited” announcement of Ruiz’s run came from the Miami-Dade Democratic Party?

“One of our top priorities at the local party is electing Democratic leaders to local office and we are excited that Councilwoman Ruiz is stepping up to run for Mayor of Doral,” said Democratic Party Chair Senator Dwight Bullard, who has drawn Rep. Frank Artiles as a challenger to his re-election.

Read related story: David Rivera is baaaack — to his roots in State House race

“She is a true public servant and she has the party’s full support,” Bullard said.

In recent years, the Miami-Dade Democratic Party has focused on local elections in an effort to build the woeful bench it has and promote progressive local policy. They take at least partial credit for the 2014 victories of Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava and South Miami Mayor Philip Stoddard and for the 2013 wins by Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter and Miami Beach Commissioner Micky Steinberg.

And this year, Dade Dems are working with the state party’s new “Municipal Victory Project” to elect Democrats to local offices all over Florida.

“Although these races are nonpartisan, the candidates are not. We are already identifying key local races in 2017 and 2018 where we want to make an impact,” said Miami-Dade Democratic Party Executive Director Juan Cuba.

The statement called Ruiz a “longtime Democratic leader” and noted that she was a founding member of the city and the first woman elected to the council. “She is a small business owner, a community leader, and an outspoken champion for the rights and needs of the residents,” it said.

Democrats hold a slight edge in Doral. Not because they outnumber Republicans by a little (with 29.6% registered Democrats to 24.3% registered Republicans) but because the independents or NPAs, who outnumber both, tend to vote Democratic. Especially in presidential elections.

While Obama won Doral easily in 2008 and 2012, the big question is how will Donald Trump’s presumptive nomination affect the turnout? After all, he is a business force to be reckoned with in Doral.

At the very least, Ruiz expects Boria and Bermudez to behave better than the presidential hopeful whose resort is in Doral and who has a key to the city.

“I’m hoping the two men are professional in how they handle the race. I know I will be.”

Somehow, Ladra doesn’t think this will be the example of a civil political contest.