Well, there is obviously not much interest in deciding where State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera (Rep., District 112) should run next, but the tiny and totally unscientific (read: just fun) sampling we drew in 24 hours voted for a county commission seat by more than two to one.
The less than five percent reader participation in our first online poll (we’ll do better next time) is either a sign that the term-limited House Speaker’s next step is irrelevant or very arguable, shaky evidence that voters give him carte blanche: He leads, they follow.
Aside from the comments on the prior post on this subject, Ladra got answers from the multiple choice questions via email from Washington DC, two private messages on facebook from avid shadow observers, two in-person “by the way” votes by people I see daily and two text messages on my phone, one from a surprisingly shy former state legislator and one from a wannabe campaign king. All but the wannabe (he chose the Gables mayor’s seat) and the emailer (Senate) said a county commission seat would be the right move.
Nobody mentioned the property appraiser’s office. Go figure.
One person chimed in not to pick an answer but to take one out of the equation: Miami-Dade Commissioner Mayor Xavier Suarez, who has been repeatedly rumored to be eyeing the county mayor’s seat and was quoted by New Times’ Frank Alvarado last week saying he hasn’t ruled it out. People close to his everything-old-is-new-again nemesis, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who beat Suarez for the district 7 office eight years ago, say bring the rematch on.
But Mayor X told Alvarado in the signature revealing piece (http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2012/03/xavier_suarez_doesnt_rule_out.php) that he was waiting to see what Commission Chairman Joe Martinez, an ally, does with his campaign. And in his facebook post on my wall, Suarez seemed to defend his district seat in a way that looks like he’s just getting comfortable there. Ladra gets the feeling he is staying put, for now.
“I can say this much: CLC did a great job in Tally this year,” Suarez wrote on my facebook wall just before 6 p.m. Monday, which Ladra is punch pleased about because, despite our past dynamic from that nasty bit of absentee ballot voter fraud business in 1997 (ancient history, I say!) it really is sort of an honor. Even if it was sort of an essay answer. Naturally.
“His accomplishments include great funding victories (notably the restoration of most of the indigent care money for JMH) plus an innovative approach to getting back the jewel that is Coconut Grove Playhouse, through a retroactive reverter clause unseen in my thirty years of public life. And he did it all in a collaborative. modest way that reminds me of my own son’s style,” Mayor X shared in his signature enthusiastic and sincere way, saying more in two sentences than some electeds say in two hours.
Then he got to the point: “”He has indicated that he will not run against me and that is good enough for me,” Suarez said. To which I replied, “Ahem Mr. Commissioner Mayor Sir, Ladra never implied he would run against you and, indeed, wrote he was waiting for you to decide, to see if he had your blessing…” or something to that effect.
Then Suarez teased Ladra through the facebook fence: “Other possibilities will have to be discussed privately over a cortadito at my favorite hangout (EL Pub). My treat any day this week. You have my cell.”
What? He put it on my facebook page! You don’t think it was on the record?! And of course Ladra is panting (thus the ;P that I had to explain to Commissioner Mayor Suarez) at the thought of a cortadito with his chatty self and giddy about how much smarter I will be afterwards.
Or a beer, if I’m not on duty, Commissioner Mayor Sir, photographed here in a shot stolen from his facebook albums (sorry Commissioner Mayor Sir), but he must like it because it’s his profile pic.
Turns out, however, that I do not have his cell. I may have had it once — in my old phone that I killed (let’s not go there).
So, Mayor X Sir, you now have my cell. Call any time.
I’m often up late. Like you.
Only one poll result matters: Mayor X answers added by Ladra on
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