It has been rumored for weeks but it became official on Friday: Democratic Party gadfly and social services activist Daniella Levine will be running against Miami-Dade Commissioner Lynda Bell.
Levine, who founded the Human Services Coalition of Dade County in 1996, filed the paperwork Friday. Well, Danielle Levine Cava did. Whoever that is. She added Cava to her last name either to sound more Hispanic or so she could have a three initial monogram. She will make the formal announcement tomorrow at the South Dade Government Center alongside, her press release says, a bevy of supportive electeds, including former Commissioner Katy Sorenson, who retired in 2010 and left the seat open, Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter, Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner and State Rep. Kionne McGhee (D-South Dade). A few former electeds will also be there: Former Miami-Dade School Board members Betsy Kaplan and Janet McAliley and South Miami Mayor and former State Rep. Julio Robaina, who is apparently coming out of hiding in the Keys for this.
But her candidacy has been the buzz of District 8 and Dem circles since the vice chairwoman’s husband, Mark Bell, lost the mayoral race in Homestead two months ago to Porter. Levine has talked to a number of people, including Annette Taddeo, the chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, who everyone says is making this personal since she lost that 2010 commission race runoff to Bell by 3 1/2 points.
‘”We definitely recruited her,” Taddeo told Ladra Monday morning.
“Besides not being ethically challenged,” she said in a not so indirecta against Bell, “she is a very smart woman, very capable and the community respects her tremendously for all the work she’s done for years. She’s already a public servant and we need to have public servants who have a track record of serving the public.”
Ethically challenged? Lynda?
“Well, there’s the connection between her and Maroño and the towing company,” Taddeo said, referring to former Sweetwater Mayor Manny “Maraña” Maroño, who got a towing contract in Homestead and who gave Lynda Bell’s police officer daughter, fired from her hometown force, a job in his city. Maroño is now facing bribery charges for allegedly taking $40,000 or so in kickbacks for bogus grant applications in a two-year sting.
Then there was her vote to lift the ban on chain link fences — without disclosing that her daughter and son-in-law own a fencing company with the commissioner’s own address on corporate records. She said there was “zero personal gain” for herself and her son-in-law. But that can’t be possible if her family’s business gets more jobs because the ban is lifted.
“It’s comical. And sad at the same time,” Taddeo said.
Bell, who is seen as vulnerable and is facing a recall, barely, did not return a call from Ladra. But Taddeo said Levine will not operate the same way.
“She’s open minded. She will listen to all sides. Just because she’s not ethically challenged and not going to be there for the special interests, doesn’t mean she won’t listen to all sides. We need to find the middle ground,” Taddeo said.
When the Democratic Party sent volunteers to do ground work for the Homestead election in November, they heard from people that were unhappy with Bell, Taddeo told Ladra.
“Everybody is ready for a change. It was a tea party year mix up and needs to be fixed,” Taddeo said of Bell’s victory.
Yeah, she does sound a little bitter.
But Levine’s is not the only name floated around. Among those is former State Rep. Ana Rivas Logan, who has also talked to some people about it.
“I am strongly considering the seat. I am being strongly recruited for the seat,” Rivas Logan told Ladra again Monday morning.
She couldn’t believe that Dade Dems were going to back Levine this early out. “That’s not the impression I got,” said Rivas Logan, who has talked to Taddeo about the seat. “I haven’t made up my mind. I’m being heavily recruited. And I don’t think the Democratic Party is going to make up their minds until everyone is announced.”
Rivas Logan, who served in the House as a Republican, may even change party affiliation.
“I am being heavily recruited to change parties for other seats as well,” said Rivas Logan, whose friends in the Republican good ol boy club abandoned her last year and went after her with a vengeance to make sure State Rep. Jose Felix “One More Pepe” Diaz was elected.
“My party has done me wrong. There is no love lost between me and the Miami Dade Republican Party,” Rivas Logan told me, adding that not one of her former colleagues have called or contacted her since the 2012 race.
“How’s that for statesmanship?”
Anyone making a serious challenge better get started in earnest. Bell has already raised $180,000. And that was as of Nov. 30. Ladra is pretty certain she will have topped $200K with the next report, which is due later this week.
Lynda Bell’s first promised challenge files: Daniella Levine added by Ladra on
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Are you kidding? Taddeo was probably contemplating running for that seat…. why would she recruit Gloria Romero Roses? It was the DCCC – as widely reported at the time. And Hancock and Solomon? That happened in 2012 BEFORE Taddeo became Chair of the party. Get your facts straight.
I’m ecstatic that there is a strong candidate and lifelong public servant running against Bell, and I can look passed the fact she moved down the street. Sounds like some Bell fans are running around the blogs here.
That’s the problem bro, we’re NOT Bell fans. And we know that if Daniella stays with the Miami-Dade Dems she will lose. Can you name me a single local campaign that they actually coordinated from start to finish and won? And believe me, Jeff Porter’s win in Homestead is not one of them. You can come in at the 11th hour and take credit for other people’s hard work, but it doesn’t change your underlying incompetence.
Did Porter really need that help? Will they take credit when Otis Wallis wins? Why is Taddeo recruiting Taddeo clones for the races Handcock and Soloman almost won when they already proved viable? Can the Bell race be won as a Red vs Blue battle? Is it all about Annette?
No the whole point of 13 County commission districts is an 11th circuit Court of Appeals decision for ethnic diversity brought by Gene Stearns. The lines are not only somewhat arbitrary but routinely move. For example Pinecrest is no longer in district 8. Does that mean Katy Sorenson would not be qualified to represent District 8 anymore?
This race is about qualifications and leadership.
Would you rather have an ethically challenged realtor that lived in your neighborhood and hadn’t sold a listing in 6 months. They know the area and can represent you!
Or there’s the hot shot Coral Gables based agent that just sold 10 listings in your neighborhood last month, and for top dollar. She not only knows your neighborhood, but the county wide maket and has a rolex full of contacts with overseas investors?
I want the best and brightest working for me. I don’t really care where they lived before
Truth of the matter is that Annette Tadeo is an idiot. First she recruits Romero Roses to run in a primary even though she lives in Broward and now picks someone who just recently moved from the Gables to Palmetto bay. No wonder Taddeo can’t even get herself elected to public office. People do care if you know and live in your district, that’s the whole point of representation. They never helped Ross Hancock or Doc Solomon either in VERY close house races but decided to support Porter in a city no ones cares about (Homestead) because of Taddeo trying to get back at Bell. Democrats need new leadership!
Hey fella, you’re completely off base with your take on the local Democratic Party and Annette Taddeo’s leadership. The party’s exec.committee members are nearly unanimous in their approval of her strong initiatives. Taddeo’s administration has raised record amounts of money, recruited good candidates and energized the party activists to work. All of which fits the description of what a partisan political organization is supposed to do. Moreover, you appear to be some kind of disgruntled Democrat who carps from the sidelines and is unwilling to work for the Party. I challenge you to interact with me and other Democratic activists and see how we can challenge some of your misspent energy.
Bob Goldstein
President
Democrats of South Dade Club
Really? Bell gave away turkeys and book bags? Oh please, this is the stock and trade photo op of every two bit political hack for decades. Now if she paid for the SWAG personally, that would be note worthy but they usually arm twist the donation or flat out pay for the stuff with our taxes. BTW she’s giving away a lot more than turkey downtown if you know what I mean..
Secondly, from the county tax rolls it looks like Cava dropped a cool mil to buy the house in Palmetto Bay, not some tool shed in a relative’s back yard mind you, a big house she owns, not rents, so I’d say that pretty much shows she’s resigned to run.
And for those who know the social service community in MIami, calling Danielle a gadfly and glorified social worker is like calling Obama a glorified health insurance salesman..well maybe a bad example me being a conservative and all, but you get the point.
So let’s debate the issues, a right wing professional politican who is clearly ambitious and ethically challenged or a progressive public servant whose worked in the trenches for decades and is a political neophyte.
Their is a LOT of daylight between these two to choose from so people are going to go with the issues. Let’s face it, Bell won by less than the margin one normally attributes to being listed first on the ballot.. this time she’s a known quantity.
It is so hard to get good people to put their money where their mouth is and run for office, I welcome Ms. Cava to the debate.
To JustTheFacts. If you’re a real Republican, you would stay home at a time when there’s the real possibility of electing a “glorified” Social Worker to the Commission?
Commissioner Bell has done many good things in District 8. Before her, when was the last time her predecessor held Turkey Giveaways to poor people?
When was the last time struggling children enjoyed a free movie night with their families, or received free backpacks for school – not because it was the politically expedient thing to do but the right thing to do. And she didn’t do these things just on election years, she did these things each and every year since her election.
And what about using public money to build an elderly apartment complex with a full kitchen for struggling seniors when everybody knows there’s has been a huge housing shortage for the elderly?
Who did these things? Not her predecessor but our sitting Commissioner.
Mrs. Levine had to move from plush Coral Gables to Palmetto Bay so that she can run? That action alone smells of political ambition – at any cost. (Palmetto Bay homes are not cheap!)
With all due respect, I’ll stick with the tried and proven Commissioner, my Commissioner, Lynda Bell!
I wish you and all your family a great 2014 and continue to do your fantastic job to keep us up inform from the political arena in South Florida we are in from North Florida with a lower temperature 42 tonight Go FSU
Your friend
Pepe Cancio Sr.
This Republican isn’t too proud of our party’s 2014 ethically-challenged slate … Lynda Bell, Eric Fresen, and Rick Scott. Looks like I may be stayin’ home.
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