Miami Beach commission races give us two incumbents, one dramatic runoff

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.

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