Candidate Daniella Levine Cava submits petitions to qualify

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County commission candidate Daniella Levine Cava submitted just over 1,200 signed petitions Thursday to qualify for the race in District 10 against Commission Vice Chair Lynda Bell — more than the 1,100 she needed to get her name on the ballot.

She also announced Thursday that she had raised an additional $54,000 in March, bringing its total raised to over $250,000 in fewer than 90 days. Of course, we don’t know how much more Bell raised since the end of February, when she had reported collecting nearly $340,000. Reports for totals by the end of March are due today and should be posted online by Monday.

But it is still not bad for a first time candidate — even one with Levine’s community chops — who is running against a perceived political power with incumbency backing.

“I am thankful for the early support from thousands of voters in District 8 who signed petitions to place my name on the ballot,” Levine said in a statement. “Through grassroots efforts and a dedicated team of volunteers, we have shown that no task is too big to accomplish if we work together. With this momentum behind the campaign, we will continue forward towards victory on August 26th!”

Momentum, indeed. Ladra used that word last week after Levine opened her campaign office on the heel of several important endorsements that included the cops, the firefighters and all the gays in the world. On Tuesday, she got the endorsement of the SEIU Local 1991, which represents somewhere around 4,000 nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals at Jackson Health System.

“As healthcare professionals who’ve witnessed first-hand Daniella’s commitment to the community and our public hospital, we are excited to announce our support for her for County Commissioner District 8,” President Martha Baker, a nurse, said in a prepared statement. “As an organization that puts patients first, we know that Daniella will put the residents of Miami-Dade County first.”

This is looking like the most interesting county commission race so far this year. Of the other incumbents up for re-election, only Commissioner Jean Monestime faces opposition — two challengers, including former Commissioner Dorrin Rolle. But even that looks like a sleeper next to this one.

  Daniella Levine Cava, Lynda Bell