Before the primary election, many households in State House District 115 were besieged by mailers, mostly from Republican hopeful Vance Aloupis, who won Aug. 28 by touting himself as the most conservative and Republican of the four candidates.
Now, suddenly, he’s not so GOP for the genenral.
A handout being left at homes by canvassers over the weekend is violating campaign law because it fails to disclose that Aloupis is a Republican. And Ladra doesn’t believe for a minute that it’s an honest mistake.
All his mailers have the right and legally required disclaimer, which the state says “must prominently state ‘political advertisement paid for and approved by (name of candidate), (party affiliation) for (office sought)’ or ‘paid by (name of candidate), (party affiliation) for (office sought).”
Notice that in both cases, party affiliation is a must-fill field.
This handout has a photo of his pretty family one one side and a hard working Aloupis on the other with the headlines “A new generation of local leadership” and “A lifetime dedicated to serving our community.” No mention of the GOP.
Some might think this is another sign that Donald Trump has stained the Republican Party and that Aloupis is trying to distance himself from the president. It does, at the very least, seem an attempt to appeal to NPA voters, where this race could be won.
“He is trying to deceive voters at the door,” said Jeffrey “Doc” Solomon, the Democrat running in House 115.
Aloupis was accused of trying to deceive voters during the primary, when he wore a guayabera and played dominos in a Spanish-language TV ad. His main opponent, Jose Fernandez, immediately said Aloupis was trying to pander to Hispanic votes by making himself look Hispanic when he is not.
He is, however, a Republican and the GOP’s handpicked replacement for Michael Bileca, who is termed out. Even if his materials don’t say so.

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Everyone is concentrated on the special elections this summer and there’s more than a year to go before the primaries for the state legislative races next year. But a few open seats have hopefuls planning early — none more than in House District 115, the seat vacated by termed-out State Rep. Michael Bileca, which happens to be where Ladra lives and votes.

There are now six candidates — including Jeffrey “Doc” Solomon, por supuesto — with opened accounts, according to the Florida Division of Elections.

Solomon is a popular chiropractor “to the stars” that has run unsuccessfully twice already as a Democrat challenger to Bileca. But he won both primaries against Ross Hanckock and then losing to Bileca. Last November, it was 46 to the Bileca’s 54 percent. But it was a 2-point slide from how he did in 2012, when he lost to 47-53.

Nevertheless, these are respectable numbers against a much better financed incumbent. Bileca spent a little more than $200K last year, compared to Solomon’s $62,800. Since he filed in June, Solomon hasn’t reported any campaign contributions for this race yet.

And in an open seat with no incumbent, Solomon might benefit just enough from much higher name recognition. That is, if he gets through another primary. So far, he is one of only two Democrats in the race. The other is James Linwood Shulman, who raised $2,852 in his first month, May.

But there might be a surprise before qualifying. Because while this is considered a Republican stronghold, it’s really just barely that. Former President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney were separated by just a few hundred votes in 2012. Our neighborhoods are split pretty evenly down the middle with a lot of NPAs, like Ladra, that could make the difference. It’s not completely unimaginable that this seat turns blue in 2018. Especially if the Trump trainwreck continues to unfold.

Read related story: Republicans start lining up for 2018 state primaries, challenges

Who knows, the Dems might wanna back Solomon. At least this perennial candidate has been consistent. After a brief and also unsuccessful run for Pinecrest city council, this is Solomon’s third attempt at this state seat. Maybe the third time is the charm. There’s something to be said about persistence. Gee, what a concept. Unlike a lot of 305 politicos, it hasn’t ocurred to him to move his residence in order to chase a more winnable seat because no esta pa’ eso.

And again, he’s got that coveted name recognition that Mr. Shulman, nice as he may be, ain’t got.

Are you paying attention Mr. Stephen Bittel? Or are you too busy eating crow after calling black legislators “childish” and licking your wounds fom the residency violation perpetrated by your protege, State Rep. Daisy Baez? Well, you wanted so bad to be chairman of the Florida Democratic Party, now get over your clumsy intro. There are bigger fish to fry.

Because there are four, count ’em, four Republicans already raising funds to run for the seat. That includes Vance Arthur Aloupis, CEO of the Children’s Movement and the heir apparent, who has already raised $150,900 — including an impressive $103K picked up in the first month (March) from many of the usual suspects, including some lobbyists, signaling that he is, indeed, the handpicked GOP choice. His political consultant is lobbyist Michaeld Cantens, who is also the son of former State Rep. Gaston Cantens.

The other Republicans are: Carlos Daniel Gobel who filed in March and has raised $1,975; Carmen Sotomayor, who filed in January and has reported raising $250; and Rhonda Rebman-Lopez, who filed earlier this month — so she’ll submit her first campaign financial report in July — and who has been way too excited about it on twitter.

None of them, so far anyway, stand a snowball’s chance in Little Havana. If this 115 primary were this summer, Ladra would predict a general match between Aloupis and Solomon.

But there’s more than a year to go before the candidates have to qualify. And who knows? Maybe if Annette Taddeo loses the District 40 special election this year, she’ll move back into Pinecrest in time for next.