After losing the congressional Republican primary to Maria Elvira Salazar, Angie Chirino — daughter of Cuban salsa sensation Willy Chirino — wants to run for Florida Senate in District 39.
She joins Pinecrest Councilwoman Anna Hochkammer, a Democrat, in seeking the seat currently occupied by Sen. Anitere Flores, who is termed out and rumored to be eyeing a county seat — even possibly a mayoral run in 2020 (more on that later).
This open race, a unique opportunity in South Florida, is likely to attract a few more would-be candidates before qualifying even begins next year. Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez had originally and early on filed paperwork to seek the seat, which many believed was hers by right, but then she became the running mate to Gov. Ron DeSantis. She has since returned more than $3,000 in contributions, indicating that she will stay with DeSantis through the four-year term, even though she wants a South Florida office to work in (more on that later).
Chirino came in fifth in the nine-way primary last year that put Salazar in a contest with Democrat Donna Shalala, who eventually won the general election. That may only account for less than 7%, but it’s 2,678 people who she got to vote for her once before.
“I know this community extremely well,” Chirino said in a statement launching her campaign.
“District 39 is full of extraordinary people, and my diverse professional background has thoroughly prepared me to be a strong voice for all residents of our community.
It’s vital that we do everything possible to give the next generation of South Floridians the best start in life, especially those from challenging backgrounds.
One of the best ways we can do that is to address critical quality-of-life issues. For too long, South Florida families have been forced to spend too much of their valuable time stuck in traffic and too much of their hard-earned money on tolls.
I plan to be a tireless advocate for effectively addressing this issue as well as for state policies that protect our seniors and the beautiful environment we all enjoy.
There’s no question these are tough issues, but I believe working together, we can strengthen our economy and make sure South Florida continues to be the best place to live in the country.”

Chirino also worked for the Voices For Children Foundation, representing children in foster care.

Hochkammer, a relative newcomer who moved into the area in 2009 and served as PTA president at Palmetto High, has served as vice mayor in Pinecrest, where she was elected in 2016.
She also released a statement when she announced her bid. In part, it said:
“The state of public education and the constant attacks by the Legislature, and lack of real funding and opportunity keeps me up at night.
“I know the only place I can make a real difference in the lives of children and families in Florida is in Tallahassee. I am excited about the journey ahead to represent the wonderfully diverse and vibrant communities that make up District 39.”
More than 5,000 people voted to put Hochkammer in office in 2009, but Pinecrest sits outside the Senate district’s boundaries. Florida law requires legislators to live in Florida for at least two years before Election Day, but they can move into the district on Election Day as long as they live there while they represent the district. Hochkammer has said she is renting a condo in Key Largo, which is in the district.
There are likely to be other candidates for this open seat before qualifying really starts.

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We will have to wait until Friday to find out if political operative and campaign consultant Christian Ulvert became an elected this week after he got into a tie for the fourth and last council member slot in Miami Shores.
Voters in Tuesday’s election had seven candidates on the ballot. The top four vote getters won seats.
Crystal Wagar, former Chief of Staff to Miami-Dade Commissioner Jimmy Morales, got the most number, with 1,440 votes, or 21%. As such, she will be the mayor for the first half of her four-year term.
Former Mayor Alice Burch came in second with 1,262 votes, or 19%, so she will be the next vice mayor. Councilman Jonathan Meltz was re-elected with 1,025 or 15% of the votes.
But the fourth and final seat ended in a tie between Ulvert and former Councilman Stephen Loffredo, each having gotten 893 votes, or just over 13%.
That may be sorted out on Friday when a canvassing board goes through the provisional votes, which are ballots cast by voters whose eligibility could not be verified at the polling location.
Read related: Political operative Christian Ulvert runs for council in Miami Shores
Ulvert’s poor showing may be due to a negative campaign that has been waged against him by none other than David “Disgustin” Custin, who used his political action committee, Citizens for Ethical and Effective Leadership, to pay for several mailers calling Ulvert a political hack and questioning his motives.
In one, Custin reminds voters that the political advisor to several high profile Democrats — including Sen. Annette Taddeo, Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava and former Miami Beach Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Phil Levine — represented dog racing and worked for the slots gambling initiative. Then he suggests that Ulvert might want to bring a strong mayor form of government to Miami Shores, since he was so involved in the strong mayor initiative that failed in Miami.

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In another close race mirroring the 2017 contest, Coral Gables Mayor Raul Valdes-Fauli was barely able to hold on to his seat against former Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick.
Now, we can’t say Valdes-Fauli won by a scant 187 votes anymore. Now, it’s a flimsy 123!
Not really a mandate, is it? The margin is even narrower than it was two years ago, when Valdes-Fauli won his first term. It could narrow further as absentee ballots that come in Tuesday and provisional ballots are counted. Who knows? It may get close enough to trigger an automatic recount. Or go the other way.
In the sole commission race — Commissioner Mike Mena was re-elected without opposition — there will be a runoff, as expected, after Ralph Cabrera got almost 40% of the vote and the next closest candidate got 31%. The second round is on April 24.
But this was the second round for Slesnick and Valdes-Fauli, and the incumbent showed a lead early on.  When it was just absentee ballots, the first to be counted, Valdes-Fauli was leading 53% to 47% with a 236-vote advantage.
But, while not enough, Slesnick’s people turned out stronger on Election Day and the margin narrowed to 50.7% to 49.3% by the time the precincts had reported just after 8 p.m.
Ouch for Slesnick who lost by only a few dozen votes — again! It must be heartbreaking to work so hard and come so close.
Read related: Ralph Cabrera set to enter runoff with campaign cash advantage
A total of 8,572 of the city’s 33,194 registered voters cast ballots, almost a 26% turnout.
Cabrera had the win from the get-go, with a substantial lead of nearly 40% when absentee ballots were counted. The second highest AB getter was Jorge Fors, Jr., who got 31%. Former interim city manager Carmen Olazabal got 26% and Jackson “Rip” Holmes got just over 3%.
That means voters will have to go out again in two weeks to choose between Cabrera and Fors.

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Even before 7 a.m. Tuesday, 4,287 voters had cast absentee ballots in the Coral Gables election. That’s almost 55% of the 7,835 ABs that were sent out.
That’s the highest number of mail-in ballots returned in the City Beautiful in at least 10 years, maybe all of history. And more may arrive Tuesday.
But while the city generally has a higher turnout on Election Day, a 90 percent chance of rain with thunderstorms predicted for Tuesday threatens to keep voters away from the polls this year, making those mail-in votes even more important than ever.
Read related: Mayoral race in Coral Gables is a do-over on over-development
Especially in the mayor’s race, which is a rematch of a contest lost by 187 votes two years ago and may be close again.
Incumbent Raul Valdes-Fauli, who only treats people well the two months he campaigns, beat former Commissioner Jeannett Slesnick in both mail-in and Election Day votes, but the day-of margin was smaller (15).
“We are really working on the absentees this time as that is where I fell short last time,” Slesnick said Monday evening. She said the rain is likely to fall between noon and 4 p.m., which are not peak voting times.
Still, both mayoral campaigns are offering voters rides to the polls. Slesnick put her personal cellphone number (305-975-8158) on all her emails and materials and says people can call her if they need help getting to vote.
Valdes-Fauli’s latest campaign finance report shows a $5,500 expense for “Election Day operations” to Bridge 305, which could be for transportation.
Read related: Development interests fund campaign for Raul Valdes-Fauli
A total of 8,416 people voted in the 2017 election, the highest turnout in the past decade. In 2015, it was 7,084 (3,770 absentee), in 2013 it was 7,047 (2,807 and in 2011, it was 7,922.
Back in 2001, when Valdes-Fauli was voted out of office the first time, 10,271 people voted. But Ladra bets it was a sunny day.
Four candidates are competing for the commission seat vacated by Commissioner Frank Quesada, who is not seeking a second term. They are former Commissioner Ralph Cabrera, attorney and homestead exemption cheat Jorge Fors, interim city manager and compulsive liar Carmen Olazabal and Jackson “Rip” Holmes.
“I’m absolutely concerned with tomorrow’s weather,” Cabrera said late Monday night. “Don’t know the impact it will have on turnout. However, traditionally, it has reduced turnout by as much as half.”
Read related: Ralph Cabrera set to enter runoff with campaign cash advantage
Cabrera has reason to be concerned. He has traditionally done much better on Election Day than he has with mail-in ballots.
But, rain or shine, none of the four commission candidates are likely to take 50% plus one so there will likely be a runoff on April 23 between the two  highest vote-getters (read: Cabrera and someone else).
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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It’s no secret that former Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner has been waiting for Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suarez to be termed out or make his move so she can run for the district seat.
On Monday, she made those intentions clear when she filed documents Monday at the Miami-Dade Elections Department indicating she had opened a campaign account.
Read related: Cindy Lerner confronts Rubio, Bush on climate change
In a statement released Monday afternoon, Lerner — who has kept active on issues, particularly sea level rise and infrastructure — made reference to broken promises and traffic.
“I am pleased to announce that I am a candidate to represent the people of Miami-Dade County Commission District 7. I grew up in Miami-Dade County and raised my 3 children in District 7. During that time, I have fought to make our community a better and stronger place for people to live, work, raise their families and enjoy a quality of life. The time has now come to act and address the serious threats to our community that require bold action by the Miami- Dade County Commission.
For too long, leaders have danced around pressing issues from traffic gridlock causing frustrated residents and workers to spend too much time traveling to and from their homes, work places, schools and other activities. For too long they have paid lip service to the real threat from sea level rise and flooding. For too long they have ordered studies to deal with the real danger to our drinking water and public safety from failing infrastructure.
I am running to represent the people in Commission District 7 because we can no longer afford hollow promises that simply waste taxpayer dollars and provide little results. We need new leadership for the district. In my vision as a county commissioner, the Commission and County Government work together and collaborate with the leaders of the many municipalities to implement solutions to the threats we face in District 7 and in Miami-Dade County. I am running because the clock is ticking and it is Time for Action.”
This sets up a contest between Lerner, a popular Democrat who was also a state representative from 2000 to 2008, and former Miami-Dade School Board Member Raquel Regalado, a popular and moderate Republican who forced Mayor Carlos Gimenez into a runoff in 2016.
Read related: Political musical chairs: Recycled electeds vie for 2020 county seats
Regalado, who briefly ran for Florida Senate and then U.S. Congress last year before abandoning both, switched to the county commission bid and started fundraising in February. She has already raised $19,000 for her county commission bid, according to her last campaign reports. That includes notable small bundles like $2,000 from Norman Braman, $2,000 from lobbyist Jorge Luis Lopez and $3,000 from lobbyist Eric Zichella.
Of course, more candidates are expected in this open seat.
Scratch Coral Gables Commissioner Vince Lago off he list. He is said to be looking at a mayoral run in the City Beautiful in 2021. But former Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff is still in play.
District 7 runs from the southern tip of Brickell Avenue all the way to Miami-Dade College’s Kendall Campus. It includes all of Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove, South Miami, Downtown Dadeland and Pinecrest as well as  large parts of Coral Gables and East Kendall near Baptist Hospital.
 

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