Three Democrat Party activists are looking at running for office for the first time in Miami Dade. One of them for circuit court judge this year and two of them forMiami city commissioner in the two years fe 2015 elections.
And some people say that Ladra’s obsession with elections later this year is premature.
Tony Diaz, the tall, relatively unknown man behind the recall effort against Miami-Dade Commissioner Bruno Barreiro, filed papers last week to run for Miami Commissioner in the seat now occupied by Commissioner Francis Suarez, who abandoned the mayoral race and may now face a tougher re-election.
Diaz, an FIU student by day and newby political consultant working on a couple of local races by night, told Ladra that he had actually been thinking about running for office for about a year.
“We started the exploration last February,” he said. “It’s time. The city needs us.”
We? Us? “My campaign team,” Diaz said, denying that it was too early to start campaigning.
“We’re going to need to raise a lot of name recognition against our opponents,” he said. And that is likely very true. Because nobody knows who this kid is.
And, in addition to another possible run by the incumbent Baby X — who may or may not run for mayor ever again after having to abandon his formidable campaign last year on the heels of several setbacks — there are two others who have already indicated they want that seat: Manolo Reyes, for the bazillionth time, and Ralph Rosado, for the second time (third campaign since he ran/lost a state House seat), both of whom have more name recognition.
Diaz will have a bar-b-cue today with his friends to celebrate the announcement and soft kick-off the campaign.
Pedro Villa, regional director for Sen. Bill Nelson, is said to be “exploring” the possibility of running for city of Miami Commissioner in the seat now occupied by Marc Sarnoff, who will be termed out in 2015. At least according to one very good source, because I could not contact Villa. I sent an email and he chose not to call me but rather wrote me back: “Elaine, thank you for reaching out but I am no longer considering a run for public office at this time. Take care, Pedo.”
Still, local Dems, including Miami-Dade Democratic Chairperson Annette Taddeo want him to reconsider. “I can confirm I would love to see him run,” is all Taddeo told me. Wink, wink, nod, nod.
“A lot of our members are encouraged by all the new activity and a lot of people are stepping up to run,” Taddeo said about this spate of early eager beavers. “Some are recruited. Others just jump in.”
But the same source who told Ladra that Villa was pretty much decided was also right about Diaz and was also told me that Joe Perkins, former finance chair for the Dade Democratic Party, would resign the post to file last week to run for judge in the 11th Circuit Court in the open seat where Alberto Milian is already filed. And, lo and behold, Perkins filed Thursday.
“It is something I have always wanted to do and it seemed like the right time,” Perkins told Ladra.
Perkins, arguably, has access to lots of contribution money. Milian, a former Broward prosecutor turned criminal defense attorney who lost a bid for Miami-Dade State Attorney in 2000, has $134,000, but $100,000 was loaned to himself. Perkins has proven an ability to raise funds for others. In fact, Ladra met him at his Brickell apartment in 2012 for a fundraiser he threw for a candidate for the Florida House: State Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez.
This plus the Renier Diaz de la Portilla run for the robe is reason enough for Ladra to pay attention to the judicial races this year.
Three unknown Dade Dems look at first runs for public office added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
