Political Pics of the Week: A runoff and other races

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Sure, there was some big football game, I hear. But this week was marked mostly by races — a runoff in Palmetto Bay and the NASCAR races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, a three-day speed fest that ended with the championship Sunday night.

Both are very competitive sports.

In Palmetto Bay, where the former founding Mayor Eugene Flinn wants to unseat Mayor Shelley Stanczyk, it’s allegedly gotten ugly with a nasty campaign. In Homestead, the fluid movement of the fastest cars in the world is beautiful — almost majestic. Why can’t elections be like that?

The runoff must be grueling. Eugene Flinn looked a little tired at a well-attended fundraiser at the swanky Palmetto Bay Village Center Wednesday, where he posed for photos with well-wishers, including Oliver Lauredo, who made a pineapply dish for the gathering, and wife Annette Katz, Flinn’s biggest fan.

And while, sure, dogs don’t vote — which Ladra thinks is terribly unfair because they’re at least as qualified as the centenarians whose votes get stolen in Hialeah and Sweetwater — their caretakers sure do.

Meanwhile, Mayor Stanczyk — who has taken to writing scathing critiquies of Flinn’s administration on Facebook — posted photos from the city’s Veteran’s Day event.

A little further south, above the vroom, vroom of the race cars, Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter took his first selfie ever. It’s about time, Mr. Mayor. We will be expecting more now.

Homestead Councilman Elvis Maldonado also watched the fast cars go by Saturday with friend Laura Galvan, who posted this pic.

Ladra is surprised she didn’t see more photos posted from the races. Maybe our electeds were tired from the FSU/UM game Saturday, where State Rep. Frank Artiles, a proud ‘Nole, dared to wear the red and gold.

Earlier in the week, as noted, there were some Veteran’s Day events. Practically the whole Miami Commission attended the American Legion Post 29 ceremony. Pick them out: Mayor Tomas Regalado and Commissioners Francis Suarez and Willy Gort.

And at the Veteran’s Day parade in Homestead, the mayor and each of the council members rode in a convertible… but Councilwoman Judy Waldman had a special guest — Miami-Dade Commissioner Elect Daniella Levine Cava, who is probably riding in her first parade as an elected.

  Daniella Levine Cava, Eugene Flinn, Frank Artiles, Jeff Porter, Judy Waldman, Shelley Stanczyk