Two candidates could block Luis Gonzalez comeback to Hialeah

Former Hialeah Councilman Luis González may have the support of Mayor Carlos Hernández, but he is not going to have an easy coast back into office this November.

Back after a two year hiatus to run for the open seat left by the termed-out Isis García-Martínez, Gonzalez will have to beat back two other candidates. There are four on the ballot, but only Angelica Xenes-Pacheco, a registered nurse and owner of a drug addiction treatment center, and Jesús Tundidor, a onetime aide to former Sen. René García, matter.

The other two candidates are Fernando Godo, who describes himself as a writer and editor of One Percent Magazine and founder of One Percent World Media, and Santiago Blanco, a Radio Martí reporter who apparently wept through his interview on the Raul Martínez radio show.

Neither one are really viable, though they may help force a runoff.

Thank goodness there are two really viable hopefuls that can attract a lot of votes, because González is another Seguro Que Yes vote for the mayor. And a mayor who may also want to secure a successor.

Las malas lenguas say the plan is to get González, someone Hernández can control, to become council president again and take over when Hernández resigns early in 2021 to run for county sheriff. Why? So Gonzalez has the upper hand in the 2021 elections as an “incumbent” candidate and — supposing he wins a mayoral run against county commissioner Esteban Bovo — Hernández can still count on Hialeah’s absentee ballot support, which he needs and the city controls through, in part, candidate access to public housing, for the sheriff’s race. That’s the theory anyway.

González told Ladra that he is his own man who just wants to serve his city.

“Look at my history. There are things I have objected to,” González said, adding that he voted against the water plant at second reading, against the sign ordinance and against the red light cameras.

“I’ve been here a long time. A lot of people wanted me to stay involved,” González said, adding that he was encouraged to run for state office. “I never left. I never went to the state. All I care about is the city of Hialeah.”

González has raised almost $80,000 through August, according to the latest campaign reports , including $10K from former mayor Julio Robaina‘s longtime business partner Martin Caparros and at least $4,000 from former Miami-Dade School Board Member Demetrio Perez.

The former councilman owns Vital Graphics and Signs, which gets his own campaign’s business, is now in real estate and is raising three daughters in the city, a 12-year-old and 9-year-old twins.

“I’m a local kid,” González told Ladra.

He is right about that. He is a local politico and did not really have a chance at state office, no matter what anybody might have whispered in his ear. Locally his chances are much better, but it’s still going to be a contest this year because of the two viable options.

Pacheco, a mother and owner of a drug addiction treatment center, is an exciting alternative because she is truly independent. Born at Hialeah Hospital and raised in the city, the mother of five, ages 3 to 17, is new voice coming from the perspective of a parent and small business owner.

Anyone who can manage five children and a business at the same time should be able to handle the Hialeah council, who are very much like children trying to run a business.

The owner of a drug addiction center on 49th Street, Pacheco was inspired to run for office after a little tiff with the city over her business permit that caused the center to shut down for five weeks. “My patients had to be relocated,” she said, adding that it cost her $15,000 in legal costs.

She found the entire ordeal frustrating and the city less than easy to deal with.

“I want to improve conditions for small businesses, which will create more jobs locally,” Pacheco said, adding that she wants to create a department for small business development and provide incentives for hiring city residents.

“I’m very serious about this. There is nothing that I put my mind to that I have not accomplished,” said Pacheco, who has loaned herself $50,000 for the campaign.

“Me quito el nombre si no gano,” she said.

“I know it’s going to be a tough one, but I am ready for it,” Pacheco said, adding that she knows González is “one of the mayor’s foremost supporters.

“People have told me I’m going up against a monster.”

And Tundidor, the former Garcia aide, is no pushover either.

His legislative background, campaign experience and fundraising ability make him a true contender.

He’s raised almost $50,000 an has another $45,000 in a political action committee called Hialeah for Reform from his dad, the owner of Porky’s Cabaret. Papi and his multiple businesses also put up at least $10K of the campaign warchest, so the fam is invested to the tune of $55K so far.

Tundidor was listed in another group, an open seat, until qualifying week and he changed to Group 2.

“Because Luis Gonzalez stands for everything I’m against,” Tundidor said. “He was here for 12 years. I don’t understand why he needs to come back and do it all over again.”

“Tundi,” as he is known, has an MBA from Florida International University and oversees subcontractors at Florida Community Care. He says he learned a lot about healthcare in Garcia’s office and wants to attract young professionals to the city. And he has the endorsement of the firefighters union.

“Tundidor is running an incredible campaign,” said fire union leader Eric Johnson. “He has a great character. He is the kind of person we need to break the establishment.”

But Ladra thinks Tundidor is part of the establishment.

He was appointed to the city’s planning and zoning board by Councilwoman Vivian Casáls-Muñoz and has the endorsement of his former senator boss. He campaigned for Sen. Manny Diaz, Jr., who represents charter school interests in Tallahassee. He is friends with Miami Lakes Councilman Josh Dieguez and former Councilman Nelson Hernández — who used to chair his PAC when it was registered at the state in May before they closed it and opened it at the county — and newly elected Commissioner Jorge Fors, who committed homestead exemption fraud for nine years and had a secretly-funded PAC put out attack mailers in his race.

And his campaign consultant is “Disgustin’ David” Custin, who represents House Speaker Jose “Cigar Czar” Oliva and Diaz. Need I say more? It doesn’t seem that he is truly a new, independent voice.

In fact, Tundidor could fit right in with the mayor’s crew and would arguably be the Hernandez pick if Gonzalez weren’t running again.

Angelica Pacheco, Carlos Hernandez, Hialeah politics, Jesus Tundidor, Luis Gonzalez

Two candidates could block Luis Gonzalez comeback to Hialeah added by Ladra on September 13, 2019
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