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DISTRICT 114: Democrat Daisy J. Baez because she is the only one who might have a chance of beating the well-funded and Bush family-backed John Couriel. Daisy came thisclose to beating State Rep. Erik Fresen two years ago.
DISTRICT 115: Democrat Ross Hancock because he is a lifelong environmentalist, another true believer who 
practices what he preaches and seems almost too honest for politics. Gosh darn it. He’s gone the extra mile to learn Spanish — but I mean really good Spanish for a gringo, written and read, too — and those signs! He has the best yard signs Ladra has ever seen. Then there’s the fact that he did better against Fresen in 2012 than Jeffrey Doc Solomon did against Michael Bileca, who the winner would ultimately face in November.
Read related story: In 115 primary, Ross Hancock is best bet against Bileca
DISTRICT 118: Republican David Rivera because he’s better than former Miami-Dade Commissioner Lynda Bell and will be more fun to cover in the next three months. “Nine Lives” Rivera ain’t down for the
count yet and Ladra thinks he has a lot of good years still left in him. He is super buena gente. And, despite multiple attempts and investigations, nobody has ever proven anything against him — which either makes him innocent or brilliant. I’ll take either.
STATE SENATE
DISTRICT 38: Democrat Michael Góngora because I know and trust him. They can say whatever they want, Gongora has been around public service for a while. Even when he isn’t an elected official: In the short time he’s been gone from the Miami Beach Commission, Góngora has established a pro bono service at the law firm where he works. I like Jason Pizzo, too. I do not judge his voting record. Shit happens. But I think, sorta like Andrew Korge, he is trying to buy this election and maybe he would do better putting in the time and running for something else, especially now that he’s established such name rec. May I suggest Miami-Dade State Attorney?
DISTRICT 40: Democrat Ana Rivas Logan because it would really be something, wouldn’t it? To have her beat 
all of Korge’s money and incumbent Sen. Dwight Bullard without even trying too hard would certainly go a long way to giving her some longterm security in that seat. Korge doesn’t deserve the chance. The trust fund baby has acted, well, like a trust fund baby. Entitled. Pouty. Spoiled. Rivas Logan, a former Republican state rep and former Miami-Dade School Board member, is a moderate with enviable name rec and a wide and deep support base that is what the Dems will need to beat State Rep. Frank Artiles, the R on the November ballot.
SCHOOL BOARD
DISTRICT 1: Steve Gallon III because two words: Young blood. Also because he seems to have the support of a lot of community leaders. Who is Ladra to second guess them? And I sorta lean anti-incumbent anyway.
DISTRICT 6: Gus Machado because I don’t think Modesto Abety can survive the attacks on 
his Cuban patriotism in the November general. Not in Little Havana. And with four candidates on the ballot, this race is likely to go into a runoff. And with the Gimenez machinery behind his sister-in-law (grudgingly but inevitably), Mari Tere Rojas will likely be one of those candidates on the November ballot. But this would only provide the Gimenez friends and family plan a new network to profit with, a new public trough. Abety might be better qualified, having chaired the Children’s Trust, while Machado is just a parent. But I think “just a parent” is what we need to replace Regalado, who was just a parent when she first ran for school board after she found it difficult to find a good program for her autistic daughter. Plus, all of Little Havana is aching to vote for a Gus Machado, even though the candidate has nothing to do with the dealership. And again, I think Abety’s baggage is too heavy.
MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION
DISTRICT 7: Xavier L. Suarez because I haven’t the foggiest who Michael Castro is. Sorry, 
dude. Better luck next time. And because, even though X has been kissing the emperor’s ring a bit too much lately (what’s with that $1,000 donation to Mari Tere Rojas from your Imagine PAC?), he’s still one of the brightest minds on the dais. A little too bright maybe? Sometimes? And he has a lot of important projects to finish in Coconut Grove.
DISTRICT 11: Felix M. Lorenzo because former Miami-Dade Commission Chairman Joe Martinez is going to be insoportable when he is elected. Yes, when. I do think Martinez — who is also judgmental, self-righteous and petty — is headed back to the dais. Asi que preparense. It doesn’t even look like Lorenzo is campaigning. He’s raised a measly $2,100 compared to the Martinez $156,000 campaign bank. But if I lived in District 11, I’d vote for Lorenzo, even if just as a protest.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
Solar Devices Exemption: Yes. Duh. Because it seems ridiculous to punish people who want to use solar power by taxing them more for the panels and any equipment they use to produce electricity. Shocking! Please vote yes and stick it to Big Power.
Well, that does it. Perhaps I surprised some of you. I know I didn’t surprise a lot of you. But however you vote, just make sure to vote. August election turnout is abysmal. Do your part to improve it.
And then see you in November.
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I’m a Republican and used to like Rubio. I thought he had a great political career ahead of him. Unfortunately because he showed that he can’t stick to a decision, I lost all respect for the man. He has displayed his indecisions before, during and after his primary run. He first said he wasn’t going to run for President, then he change his mind and ran. During the primary he said he was going to run until the very end, then he backed out after the Florida primaries. Then he said he wasn’t going to run for the Senate again, now look what he’s doing.
obviously you were right about Anne Taddeo but I still think Joe Garcia is all talk no action or substance.
What an abysmal shame that the U.S. Senate race comes down to an absentee incumbent and a resume embellisher. When will stellar, worthy, deserving candidates ever rise up and contest a Senate seat again in this Sunshine State? We won’t always have Bill Nelson around, folks, or for very much longer.
Exactly Alex. Rubio is an empty suit and he really needs to get out into the real world and try to hold down a 40 hour work week. I do not care what sort of work his parents did. Unless hes actually worked himself, his narrative on that is empty rhetoric – kinda like the rest of the stuff that comes out of his mouth. My issue with him goes back when he owned that property with his good friend Rivera. Then I look at his taxes just before hes elected to the senate and he has 100 grand owing for his university education, plus kids pre paid college accounts,etc. And then after his election…poof! all that stuff disappears. Um…then awhile later, he says his book sales helped financially. I wonder how many of his books the RNC bought to pay off that college loan? OOPS! Better than having people say he used his donations for personal expenses, right? Oh wait, he did that too! Never vote for someone you already know is shady. It’ll only get worse. Thieves and opportunists just get bolder if you encourage them.
Rubio is exactly telling you what you want to hear. And then he goes to the Panhandle and tells them what they want to hear. And then tried to go national but that’s where his empty suit niño lindo strategy crashed –a minnow among sharks– because you have to fight with more than pretty words.
If you want to be taken for another ride where he coasts for four more years and makes another failed attempt at the presidency go right ahead. He’ll win this race, so it doesn’t matter.
But when you put him next to Bill Nelson, Bob Graham, Mel Martinez, Connie Mack, Lawton Chiles, etc… how’s is he even on that list?
I voted for RUBIO, GIMENEZ and MARTINEZ
Actually, Ileana has sadly little pull in DC these days and she’s nothing like a progressive even though she could be if she changed parties and changed that A rating from the NRA to something else. It’s a new district too and 1/3rd of them have no clue who IRL is….
Scott is a lot more capable of pulling out a victory than you think.
I voted early. In the future Ladra, I would also like to see early recommendations on your great site. For those of us who early vote (ESPECIALLY on the questions – which are convoluted many times). I needed help on this solar power one.
I sure could use some clarification and/or guidance on the questions at early voting time. It might help some of us that want to know the answers to the “yes is usually no” and “no is usually yes” questions.
GO VOTE!
You are right. There will be few people voting today. It is duly noted and I will do better in the future.
Love, Ladra
I’m sorry, but you are dead wrong about Rubio. He puts the empty in empty suit. And his despicable climbing of the pile of dead victims of the Pulse massacre in an attempt to revive his own near-lifeless political career should disqualify him not only for office, but personhood.
Oh, come on. You already hated him. So nothing he did in response would have worked for you. He was hardly the only politician who seized the opportunity. And you and others would have criticized him if he HADN’T said anything, also. There is no winning here. So let’s just be glad that he is doing the right thing and paying attention and respect — regardless of the reason. Who knows? Maybe he will learn something. I still have hope.
Love, Ladra