Former Coral Gables Commissioner Ralph Cabrera had his best two weeks of fundraising this cycle, with $46,275 collected over the last two weeks of 
February. According to the last campaign finance reports filed at City Hall this week, that accounts for more than half of Cabrera’s total of $83,545.
With a fundraiser hosted next week by former Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, Cabrera is well on his way to raise more than $100,000 for this race.
Read related: In Coral Gables, campaign cash goes out as quickly as it comes in
He is likely to surpass Jorge L. Fors, Jr., the newby flash out of nowhere who has been leading the money pack up to now. Fors had raised $92,700 as of Feb. 28, but his momentum has slowed way down, picking up only $8,350 
in the last two weeks.
Cabrera raised more than five times as much during the same period.
Former Interim City Manager Carmen Olazabal — described as “timid” during the candidate forum Thursday, where she barely made eye contact with anyone — raised another $5,245 for a total of $32,916. She has spent about half of that already, so she is left with about $16,800 cash in hand.
And Jackson “Rip” Holmes — thanks for the many plugs, man — loaned 
himself another $515 to pay the qualifying fee. The total $1,800 he’s raised has all come out of his own pocket.
With little more than a month to go before Election Day, Cabrera has become the man to beat. He had a great night at the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce candidate forum Thursday, showing his knowledge of city issues is way beyond the others’, and is gaining momentum as absentee ballots arrive. Even the poll done by Dario Moreno, who is helping Olazabal, has Cabrera gaining while Fors slips and Carmen slips into oblivion.
Read related: Coral Gables candidate Jorge Fors had illegal Homestead exemption
Cabrera’s big bank this last period came with very little bundling: $3,000 
from lobbyist Eric Zichella, another $3,000 from companies managed by Juan Carlos Mas and Michelle Zubizarreta, and another $3,000 from a commercial real estate firm at 2601 South Bayshore Drive.
Other notable contributions include $1,000 from Commissioner Xavier Suarez‘s political action committee and $500 from former Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas (the last two are potential 2020 county mayoral contestants), $1,000 from former State Rep. Manny Prieguez, a lobbyist, and $250 from Les Pantin.
The former commissioner spent $14,453 during the same two weeks, mostly on consulting services and a $3,270 mailer. His total expenses to date are $21,731, which means he still has more than $50,000 to spend this last month.
And contributions keep coming in.
Ralph Cabrera outraises opponents in 4-way Gables commission race added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
[…] Read related: Ralph Cabrera outraises opponents in 4-way commission race […]
Is it just me, or does this Rip Holmes photo look a lot like Pat Salerno?
It’s Election time “or” Buy Your politicians W/ Donation ? It wants to be call Donation or Campaign Contributions But it seems Like Is More a Bribe and an Opportunity From Lobbyist to Be Able to manipulate the Future Elected official ? Nothing New But it Stinks , in MDC Must commissioners got $ 1/2 million dollars Donated for a $ 6,000. a year Job ,That’s Pure Manure ?
Wow… so you openly publish rumors? Journalists are supposed to go to the source. I feel like that is something you should know. I’m sure you already have his phone number, but if you “misplaced” it, I’d be happy to pass it along.
Hi to all,sometimes what happens when you try and post something you have to be careful with the CAPTCHA code.it has happened to me before.I’m sure Ladra has not compired to stop Professor Moreno from posting anything,as a matter of fact she welcomes people from all different backgrounds. As I’m a witness !
I’ll likely vote for Ralph, but he was pretty lackluster at the debate; Fors exceeded the low bar; Carmen sounds like a bureaucrat; and Rip was Rip.
Dear Mr. No Name,
1. I did not block Professor Moreno. The only person I have blocked recently just used profanity against me and said nothing of value about any candidate. I don’t block critics or dissenters. Because I like to challenge them. Professor Moreno lied to you if he said he tried to post. Imagine that.
2. If there was no poll, please tell Professor Moreno to stop telling people about it. At least three people (that is my criteria) told me that Professor Moreno told THEM about the poll results. Or maybe it’s not a poll. Maybe it was tracking. The talk was about who was up and down. But either those people are lying or he is.
Professor Moreno is a numbers guy. He likes data. It is awfully unlikely that is creating messaging or doing any campaign work without a very basic poll, especially since he can do it himself. He’s been paid $7,380 at least so far for consulting and t-shirts and social media and “donor information,” so it’s likely he did some data mining also. I believe my sources.
Besides, what time was it when you spoke with the professor?
Love, Ladra
PS: Just occurred to me that it could, indeed, be a fake poll. A fake poll that Dr. Moreno has been going around talking about for whatever reason. Hmmmmmmmm.
Since you blocked Professor Moreno from posting, he asked me to relay that he has not conducted a poll in the Gables. The poll and the results that you’re posting are fake.