Somehow, the rumor got started that Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suarez would make an announcement 
at his big annual fundraiser Saturday about whether or not he will run for mayor.
Maybe it was the message sent to journalists on Friday by lobbyist Christopher Norwood that said Suarez was “seeking Re-Election to his County Commission Seat, but he also wishes to share a broader vision for all of Miami-Dade County tomorrow. One that we can all aspire to and imagine for our community’s future.”
The event is a dinner reception “in support of Xavier Suarez’s re-election campaign,” after all.
But Suarez says he won’t be making news this weekend because he still hasn’t made up his mind.
“This decision is not going to be made between today and tomorrow,” Suarez told Ladra on Friday. He said he was busy taking care of the details for the dinner, which will be attended by dozens of fellow electeds from many municipalities — like a who’s who of 30 politics — and a few surprise guests. Close to 200 tables for 10 are paid for he said — at $2,000 a pop, which means he raised nearly $400,000 before he pays the Doubletree Miami Airport Convention Center for the 2,000 or so chicken dinners. Maybe 1,800 if there are fewer than 10 at each table.
“I’m still embroiled in table assignments. But I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback,” Suarez told me early Friday, adding that people were still calling to confirm their attendance.
Indeed, it’s become the political party that kind of opens the season.
Suarez was also working on getting a TV screen somewhere in the room to air the 8 p.m. UM/FSU football game he did not realize when he booked the venue would be the same night. Smart. Otherwise people will just watch it on their phones anyway.
But wait, Commissioner Mayor Sir. Haven’t you been considering this possible challenge for months? How much more do you need to know before you make an announcement one way or another?
Read related story: Xavier Suarez TV ad campaign sounds like a mayoral race
Suarez has been out on the offense with Mayor Carlos Gimenez for weeks. First, with TV ads from his Imagine Miami political action committee — spending somewhere close to half a million dollars on ads tearing down the incumbent — and most recently on radio, where he basically says the mayor is doing everything wrong.
“There is all this stuff that isn’t getting done,” he said.
He sure sounds like a candidate already.
If he jumped in, he would become the fourth candidate — Miami-Dade School 
Board Member Raquel Regalado is already declared as is — and would practically guarantee a runoff.
Sources close to him say it all depends on his family. They have the final say. Not just his wife, an educator who las malas lenguas say might want to serve on the Miami-Dade School Board in the seat now held by Regalado. But also his son, Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez, who is expected to run for Miami Mayor in 2017 and is considered the heir apparent (because Raquelita is not running).
But Saturday, also, could have an impact in his decision. X is putting out feelers. If the crowd overwhelmingly urges — no, demands — that he jump into the race, he may do it to appease his adoring fans.
So maybe he won’t make the announcement Saturday. But maybe soon after. Because on Friday morning, X tweeted the date Oct. 15. Nothing else. Just “Oct. 15.”
And Ladra doubts he is talking about he premiere of Top Chef.
Xavier Suarez: Still ‘not a candidate’ at Saturday’s big shindig added by Ladra on
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