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“We were trying to make a bad situation better. If they were going to do it anyway, we were looking at how it would benefit the local community,” Levine Cava told Ladra.
Still, it’s left Levine Cava in a position where she has to explain the situation in a made-up issue over and over again rather than campaign on real issues. That costs her time, which at this point is everything. But it also gives her the confidence that Bell does not have the 10-point lead her 
supporters are boasting about.
“She wouldn’t be reaching out for last minute endorsements or creating this kind of distortion,” Levine Cava told me. “And we don’t think the voters are fooled.”
She and other Democrats said that Bell’s recent flurry of activity — and her hammering on the Marlins issue, in particular — makes it look like she is grasping at straws and becoming more desperate.
“She’s getting a little nervous,” said Juan Cuba, executive director of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, who added that the local GOP has also gotten behind Bell in recent days.
“About time,” Cuba said. “We’ve been doing this for a while.”
Local Dems have been walking door-to-door and running phone banks, he said. “I don’t care how many TV buys she makes, the game now is getting the vote out.”
But Levine Cava has also been landing in mailboxes almost daily. The campaign is responsible for four of those mailers while PACs and the Florida Democratic Party put out about twice that many
“I am lucky to have so many groups supporting me and it is indicative of two things — how eager people are to see me get elected and how much they feel they need to unseat Lynda Bell.”
That includes labor unions who are flocking to this race like tourists to a hot sandy spot on the beach.
“Our members seem to be more engaged in this than any other election and getting out there to vote in the largest numbers that I’ve ever seen,” said PBA President John Rivera.
Andy Madtes, president of the largest AFSCME union in the county, says that his group has knocked on 7,000 doors for Levine Cava and that the numbers indicate she is doing well. He says that a small majority of the 6,000 people who have voted already through absentee ballots and early voting are Democrats, who will lean toward Levine Cava. And that 1,000 of those are union members, who will lean toward Levine Cava.
But people embedded in both campaigns tell Ladra that each candidate is confident she will win what’s become the most competitive commission race Tuesday.
Bell’s people and some GOP insiders, perhaps buoyed by the Marlins stadium attacks, have the incumbent up by as much as 10 points. Labor leaders and Democrat activists say Levine Cava is a slight four or five points above.
Ladra has a feeling — and it’s nothing more than that — that it’s going to be closer than either side thinks.
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Lynda Bell pulls out more stadium lies, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen added by Ladra on
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I don’t know if the PBA members know this or not but Daniella accused Miami police of profiling and brutality but this was long before she promised them more money for their support.
Tells you what public service means on both ends. Say anything to win and we got your back despite insulting us in the past. $$$$$ talks and walks for John Rivera that’s what he is all about.
Just google it and you will find several mentions. The actors in this farce take voters for fools.
I am disgusted as a voter today! I saw the fire fighter union beating up on an old man at Coral Reef library when I went to vote! There were 10 fire fighters who surrounded this old man with a Lynda Bell shirt. Are these the tactics Daniella wants to bring to county hall?!? Check it out…I think Lynda Bell’s campaign put the video on Facebook.
Nice Try. The “Old Man” Bell political operative tried to bait the firefighters for a week and got yelled at for insulting one of their wives. Beat up? Proof? Hope he and Bell enjoy unemployment together. At least he probably enjoys social security
Excellent post. I’m so sick of Lynda Bell’s lies. I just hope the voters in District 8 are paying attention.
Bell sponsored an ordinance that benefited her daughter’s business — while the business was registered at the Commissioner’s home address. What’s more, she sponsored the item that would give millions to her campaign donor, but said the item was really the Mayor’s? Really, Lynda? The Mayor can place his own items on the agenda or they can be placed in the departmental section.
Bell looks out for her family and friends — not the average resident.
Recently, Lynda Bell voted to give away waterfront parkland. Parcel B might be valued at $400 Mil. Bell asked for no RFP. Just gave it away.
A spanish speaking rising star of the left, right in Palmetto Bay? IRL’s would be safer if Daniella wins a commission seat, then she’d be busy at the BCC until 2022 and not looking for more Republican giants to slay.
BTW great story on Salon today. It lampoons a rabid anti-transgender wing nut in Fayetteville AK, Michelle Duggar, who has the same “concerns” about little girl’s bathroom Bell does.
http://www.salon.com/2014/08/20/michelle_duggars_hateful_anti_transgender_rights_campaign/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow
For over 20 years now we have had to put up with Ileana Ross Lehtinen’s antics. This woman has made a political life out of using Radio Mambi to swindle old folk out of their votes. While she pushes the anti-Castro agenda her congressional district suffers from loss of jobs and many othe ailments Her influence and that of her husband Dexter is simply not tolerable anymore. We suggest she finds a real job and stop poking her nose in local politics which has nothing to do with her.
I think they should drug test all candidates in political races… I think it would explain a lot … And Ileana should be ashamed of herself since she has a transgendered child… Maybe she can have her kid tutor Lynda?
I can’t believe how much and how blatantly Lynda Bell lies. She’s shown that she will do anything, say anything and fabricate anything just to get ahead. I’ve come to see she has no integrity- she is utterly disgusting. SUCIA.
There’s an old saying. Tell me who you hang out with and I’ll tell you who you are. The congresswoman hanging out and supporting corrupt Bell. Need I say more?
Apparently the Bell party believes that the speakers before the County Commission wield the power to influence. May I say, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
The photo of Bell supporters, including the pale guy who is on her staff, look very happy blocking the handicapped parking spot.
I agree with FAST AND LOOSE. Calling Lynda Bell anti-gay because she voted against allowing men to use the little girls’ room is 100% wrong. This is a major public safety issue. Regarding the Marlins — Daniella Levine is a liberal who postures. Her policy director should have been yelling if her organization was truly unhappy with the Marlins deal. If Catalyst Miami was so unhappy and concerned with the deal, why didn’t Daniella voice that opinion at the BCC the way she now voices her opposition on everything? Rather, they offered ideas on how to make it “better” insinuating that the deal was good and that it could be “better.”
Not hard to figure out the leana Ros-Lehtinen math. A political neophyte comes out of nowhere and has a right wing incumbent on the ropes within a matter of weeks?., in a district the incumbent drew for herself? And the BCC has 8 year term limits? No, she says to herself, we don’t no stinkin’ popular democrats living in the 27th congressional district with a bully pulpit.
Just because Bell was opposed to men using women’s public restrooms while crossdressed you assume she is anti-gay? Maybe you can offer proof of that. Little girls use women’s public restrooms or had you not thought of that while a man is urinating in the next stall? When the Levine led Catalyst Miami spoke to the issue of the Marlin’s Stadium at the BCC, I would like you to read the transcript and show the readers the words used by the policy director that stated unequivocally “WE OPPOSE THE STADIUM.” Anything less than that is untruthful. Levine is using earwax eater Joe Garcia so why is it a problem for Ileana endorsing Bell? Strange why Bell and Castillo don’t return your calls, you must really be perplexed about that.