It took him more than 30 years to finally get a seat at the table, or rather dais. But less than 12 months after being elected to the Miami city commission last 
November, Manolo Reyes is already campaigning again for next year.
He hasn’t really stopped.
With $116,000 already in the campaign coffers, according to campaign reports filed with the city, Reyes — who won a special election to fill the seat vacated by then commissioner, now mayor Francis Suarez — had a fundraiser Thursday at Cuban Crafters hosted by all four of the other city commissioners. Sources say it netted at least another $30,000.
Reyes is the only incumbent who has started raising money for the 2019 election.
Read related: In Miami, Manolo Reyes finally wins and Carollo vs Leon… or Barreiro?
He may not look like he needs it now, as there is nobody yet lined up against him (activist and wannabe consultant Tony Diaz withdrew), but there are rampant rumors that a female candidate is going to jump in and make a campaign issue out of Miami’s all-male board.
Las malas lenguas say that female candidate 
is Maryin Vargas, who just lost a barely-there challenge against Miami-Dade Commissioner Rebeca Sosa that got her 24% of the vote.
Vargas — who apparently campaigned mostly in the Flagami neighborhoods that overlap with Miami District 4 — was reportedly recruited by Commissioner Xavier Suarez, who has denied it. He also initially denied putting anyone up against Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz, but then endorsed Rafael Alberto Pinyero, who lost with 26% of the vote.
And it might make sense that he wants to run someone against Reyes, 
who has come out against both his son’s strong mayor initiative and the giveaway of the Melreese Golf Course for a soccer stadium and retail/hotel/office complex.
Even though both those things are coming to the ballot before Reyes, the general sentiment is that the Suarezes would prefer to have someone on the dais that was more friendly to the Baby X agenda.
Either way, anybody pretending to run against Reyes is going to have to catch up to his fundraising lead.
Miami Commissioner Manolo Reyes campaigns early as opponent is rumored added by Ladra on
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