Maybe it’s the holiday spirit.
Among the attendees Thursday night at the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s fourth annual LGBT Holigay 
Celebration and Toy Drive to benefit the Miami-Beach Police Department’s Toy Drive were newly elected Mayor Philip Levine and his campaign adversary, former Commissioner Michael Gongora, who lost the race last month by a tiny margin.
Both are smiling in this photo captured by Miami Herald writer and blogger Steve Rothaus and posted on his online gallery. Levine looks like the cat that ate the canary. Gongora looks like a deer in the headlights.
He kind of was.
“As soon as I got there, he made a beeline over to me and then Rothaus ran over to take a picture,” Gongora told Ladra Friday morning. “Am I going to look like some bitter loser who refuses a picture? No. The right thing to do is turn around and smile at the camera.
“I knew the second he snapped it that Rothaus would post that picture and it would be everywhere,” Gongora said.
He said he was surprised to see Levine, who had never attended the Chamber events before. “I didn’t think I was quite ready to run into so many political people,” Gongora said. “I guess you have to be careful at holiday parties.”
But he also said that Levine was super nice.
“I’d like to tell you he was rude but he wasn’t. He reiterated that he wanted my guidance and wanted to get together. We’ll see if there’s any follow up,” the former commissioner said.
One thing is certain: This may not be the last photo op that we have of the two one-time foes. Gongora, who has been active in civic life way longer than Levine has, said he will continue to be involved.
“I still live in Miami Beach and I’m still an activist.”
Philip Levine, Michael Gongora smile for the holiday camera added by Ladra on
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