While it is not a partisan race, it is no secret that the Miami Dade Democratic Party is behind Daniella Levine Cava and 
her bid to unseat Miami-Dade Commissioner Lynda Bell, a diehard, right-to-life Republican.
Dade Dems even released a web video on Thursday that accuses Bell of wanting to sweep arsenic at a school site under the rug.
Now it’s the GOP’s turn to turn out for their girl.
A group of Republican legislators held a fundraiser for Bell Thursday night at the Coral Gables law office of State Rep. Carlos Trujillo (R-Doral). Among the other hosts are almost every red member of the Miami-Dade legislative delegation: Reps. Frank Artiles, Michael Bileca, Jose Felix Diaz, Manny Diaz, Jr., Erik Fresen, Jeanette Nunez and Jose Oliva.
Ladra guesses that Rep. Eddy Gonzalez, who is termed out and seeking the property appraiser’s job, is not on the list because he has his own fundraising to worry about.
Also listed are Sens. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, Anitere Flores and Rene Garcia, Miami-Dade Commissioner Esteban Bovo, Jr., former Congresman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Miami-Dade School Board Member Carlos Curbelo, former State Rep. and mayoral candidate turned lobbyist Marcelo Llorente, former state party Chair Al Cardenas, Republican superwoman Marili Cancio and Miami-Dade Republican Party Chairman Nelson Diaz.
They can’t let an incumbent Republican get knocked off her perch without a fight. That might show a kink in their armor. A swift win in August would also help them keep the chill on the Democratic challenges to every Republican incumbent in the House.
The fundraiser comes as Bell reports close to half a million in her campaign account — $450,000 compared to $329,000 for Levine, which is still extremely respectable for a political neophyte with zero name recognition.
There are a few high-profile Democrats on the host committee as well, most notably Freddy Balsera, Chris Korge and Brian May, who apparently holds no grudge against Bell for voting against the sweetheart Miami Dolphins deal he lobbied for on behalf of billionaire Stephen Ross.
But it’s not like they’re abandoning their party. They’re probably just protecting their gravy train.
Lynda Bell gets big GOP support vs commission challenge added by Ladra on
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HomesteadDad, it is blind subservients like you that have kept inept politicians like Bell in office. I can bet you recently voted for Mark Bell too right? You’re blind because you CHOOSE to turn a blind eye to what’s happening all around you. If you’re “hunkering down” trying to adjust to the poor economy and other issues its because you continue to acquiesce to be governed by self serving politicians like Bell. If you do not agree that Bell was exercising a power move by trying to get her husband elected for mayor of Homestead, then you are seriously DELUDED. Wake up and smell the café cubano hijo mio. I for one will vote for Daniella Levine, if anything to cancel YOUR vote for Bell
So your point is Bell doesn’t support any of this stuff yet it still manages to pass by wide margins. In politics that’s called failure of leadership. Time for some leadership. Cava record is building coalitions and getting things done.
Bell raised taxes 4 times while she was mayor of homestead. There is no reason why people should continue the name calling. Facts are facts, and Bell not only raised taxes, but she also didn’t get re-elected. She won the county race by 300 votes. Got a new office in Palmetto bay- using tax payer dollars ( instead of the free one the county have her) and then voted against police while giving the stadium owners more tax breaks and raising her own salary. No one wants to pay more taxes, we just want our tax dollars that we already pay going to the right things- which is clearly what Bell doesn’t understand.
Leanne,I’m sorry but you’re distorting the facts like a true Democrat.
Bell HAS NEVER VOTED to raise taxes while on the County Commission – NEVER!
and Bell HAS NEVER VOTED to give freebies to Sports Franchises of any kind.
You may oppose her and that is fine but don’t lie about her record. That’s just dirty politics!
HomesteadDad, I am too a resident of Hoemstead. I am a republican, and I am only stating facts. As mayor of homestead: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-03-21/news/fl-homestead-scandal-20100321_1_new-mayor-texts-city-laptop … SHE RAISED taxes. As Commisioner, she held the line, but also has misused our tax dollars.. Getting an upgrade in office ( which by the way was a failed 2010 campaign promise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j61fD-cEn1I ) ALSO a $13,000 trip to Malaysia, voting against police, fire and libraries all things our community NEEDS.
About raising her own salary: I should’ve inserted “wanting to raise it”: Miami-Dade County voters rejected a change to the charter that would have limited commissioners to two four-year terms to replace the current system of unlimited tenure. County residents voted 54 to 46 percent Jan. 31, 2012, against term limits.
It may not have been the idea of term limits that bothered voters but the fact that the term limits would have been accompanied by a massive pay hike for commissioners from the current $6,000 to about $92,097 a year based on a state formula that relates to population.
About stadiums: she only voted “no” against them after she saw there were enough votes to go through. The dolphins gave her $10k. She is the “pay to play” politican we need to get rid of. $40k from FPL.. No wonder there’s another attack ad against Daniella during the World Cup. She is the self commissioner that will do whatever it takes to keep power.Let’s all focus on the facts, and once the truth is exposed everyone will see why she’s got to go.
Sorry, I forgot one more thing. “She voted to raise her own salary?!”
Since when does a Commissioner have the power to raise their own salaries without voter approval!!!
This is ridiculous!
La Levine Cava me huele a Comunista.
Quisas no Comunista, pero definidamente si es Socialista!
Actually you’re both wrong. Technically Lynda’s tea party/libertarian/Christian Coalition ideology is referred to in academia as populist. Daniele Albertazzi and Duncan McDonnell define populism as an ideology that “pits a virtuous and homogeneous people against a set of elites and dangerous ‘others’ who were together depicted as depriving (or attempting to deprive) the sovereign people of their rights, values, prosperity, identity, and voice”.
Lynda’s current attack ad claiming Cava as an elite ” outsider who is not from here and doesn’t know us” would be and example of this type of demography.
Cava is a progressive which follows that advances in science, technology, economic development, and social organization can improve the human condition. Progressivism’s 18 century political scientist Marquis de Condorcet predicted that political progress would involve the disappearance of slavery, the rise of literacy, the lessening of inequalities between the sexes, reforms of harsh prisons and the decline of poverty.
But lets not raise the level of this discourse with the facts. Instead stick the simpler name calling. One a Narcissistic fascist, the other a commie social worker.
Comunista es mejor que Republicano. La China es el paid Comunista mas grande del mundo y todos los Republicanos Federales votaron para tener relaciones normales.
Hipocritas.
CM
The worst you can do to taxpayers in a recession or more accurately, in a sustained moderate depression, is to raise taxes on them and small businesses.
People’s salaries are being cut, benefits are being slashed, full-timers are being reduced to part-timers and layoffs are the norm – not to mention the cost of living is going up everyday.
EVERYBODY is hurting. Don’t punish the Middle Class anymore with higher taxes.
Government needs to learn to live within its means. Once the economy improves, everybody gets to benefit but until then, learn to hunker down like the rest of us!
People seem to forget that just at few weeks ago, there was a county-wide, scientific poll conducted which reveals that a majority of Miami-Dade residents and VOTERS do not want their taxes raised. Period.
No matter how much you “huff and puff,” many public employees are still in denial that the economy has not improved enough to justify raising taxes. Just in the past few days it was revealed that Miami-Dade’s unemployment rate has skyrocketed yet again!
Its interesting to note that every single Union or Special Interest Group that has endorsed Lynda Bell’s opponent has one thing in common – they all want more money from residents. Folks, any politician, elected or seeking office who wants to raise taxes is in for a rude awakening.
And finally, to the public employees out there who DO A FINE JOB every day, you must remember one very important thing – “A government that can guarantee everything you want, can take away everything you have.”
As a citizen, lifelong Miami-Dade resident and proud voter since 1988 – NO NEW TAXES!
Cava is just another Joe Garcia.
We are on the way see you soon District 8
Apparently Bell’s non-native, non-district Xenophobia begins and ends with Daniella Cava.
It always seems to be all about the “gravy train” at County Hall…