‘Winners & Losers’ from the Miami, Miami Beach and Hialeah elections

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