Miami incumbents sans opponents raise big bucks for re-election

With little more than two months to go before the qualifying deadline, Miami City Commissioners Manolo Reyes and Ken Russell have no real challenge in their respective districts. But each has raised a ton of money.

Por si las moscas.

Reyes has raised almost a quarter million dollars and Russell has raised more than $350K, according to the latest campaign reports tracking contributions through the end of June.

“I am raising funds to help ensure that I don’t have a challenge,” Russell told Political Cortadito. “There’s normally seven to nine people in this race. It’s incredible there is no opponent at this point and I do attribute that to building a strong financial base. I would hope it gives people pause.”

There is someone named Javier Gonzalez who opened up a bank account to run in District 2 against Russell. But he’s raised only $10,000, in mostly $100 checks — except for $479 he loaned to himself and $2.58 in earned interest — and doesn’t seem to be a serious threat.

While Russell has raised $357,044 since October of last year, he has also spent the most of any candidate by far: A total of almost $166,804. More than a quarter of that, or $43,154, has gone to his campaign manager Fernando Diez‘s firm, Politique. Another $23,800 has gone to advertising, $10,500 to consulting by Renaissance Campaign Strategies in Tampa (which Ladra could not find in the Florida Department of Corporations) and almost another $10K for voter outreach to MV Almer Productions.

He’s also paying for two full-time staffers, one telephone and subscriptions to The New York Times and The Washington Post.

That means he really only has just over $190K in hand.

Meanwhile, Reyes is raising funds because he knows he has a target on his back. Neighbors have told him about a telephone poll in which they were asked if they would vote for Reyes again today.

“Some people are looking for a candidate,” he said. “The search is on.

“There are some people who would be happy to see me gone,” Reyes said, not naming names, but clearly talking about Jorge Mas and the Miami Freedom Park partners who want to build a real estate empire disguised as a soccer stadium at Melreese Park. Reyes has been a solid no vote against the plan and doesn’t like it, mostly because they went behind everyone’s backs in secret.

“My first choice is not to touch green space. But if we are going to do it, we have to go through the process,” Reyes said.

“This is why people don’t trust us.”

There were also rumors last year that Maryin Vargas, who lost a barely-there challenge against Miami-Dade Commissioner Rebeca Sosa that still netted 24% of the vote.

Vargas barely campaigned, but most of that effort was focused in the Flagami neighborhood that overlaps with Miami District 4.

Reyes, who has spent a little more than $69,000 so far, also has multiple consultants. Helena Poleo is doing his social media and some mailers. Her firm, Influence Communications, has been paid $25,363 so far. Maria Elena Barrios of Realistic Ideas has been paid $11,045 for voter outreach and mailers. Poor Steve Marin has only gotten about $5,000, so far, but Ladra feels he will get busier after September if there is a challenge.

Each incumbent has hired a professional fundraiser. Russell has Brian Goldmeier and Reyes has Ivette Pinto, who made $32,113 and $23,127 in commissions, respectively.

There are still about 10 weeks before the qualifying deadline, so a real challenge may yet materialize. One would think that the billionaires behind Miami Freedom Park could easily find and finance a candidate for District 4.

Maybe those poll numbers came back too positive for Reyes.

Ken Russell, Manolo Reyes, Miami elections, Miami Freedom Park

Miami incumbents sans opponents raise big bucks for re-election added by Ladra on July 12, 2019
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