UPDATED: Miami-Dade Mayoral Son CJ Gimenez, the lobbyist, was at a meeting Saturday of Coral Gables residents who live on Alhambra Circle and on the side streets along the planned bicycle lanes from Coral Way to San Amaro Drive.
That’s nowhere near his house. So why was he there?
CJ Gimenez lives much further away than the homes that were noticed, way on the other side of the Granada Golf Course. He is not even in the 1,031 homeowners that could be polled to see how they feel about the project. 
Gimenez lives in the 500 block of Minorca, closer to the downtown, marked by this red spot on this Google map. The proposed bike lanes are on the extreme left and bottom of the photo, stretching south beyond the image.
Gimenez — son of Miami-Dade Mayor and congressional candidate Carlos Gimenez — stood apart from the mostly opposed crowd with his wife, Tania Cruz, watching and listening. After trying to avoid it for a few seconds, realizing they could not, they posed for a photo and then proceeded to follow Ladra around as she talked to residents who really care about the bike lanes.
Read related: Unpopular bike lanes stir rally, may be nixed by Gables Mayor Tuesday
CJ doesn’t talk to Ladra anymore but his wife wanted to know what I was doing there. We guess she hasn’t read the blog in a while and didn’t know that Ladra had covered the issue. They weren’t very chatty though and left right away.
But what were they doing there?
Concerned citizens? That made Ladra laugh so hard I peed a little.
Lobbying on behalf of some pavement vendor? CJ is not registered on the city’s website for any lobbying activities in the city of Coral Gables, though that might not mean anything. Sometimes these sneaky lobbyists use the word “consultant” to avoid public registration.
Or was he familiarizing himself with the issues 
and some active people before a run for office? Several sources have told Ladra that CJ, or Junior — as some people call him because of the resemblance to his dad (just look at that mueca in the photo above; classic Grimenez pose) — has political ambitions of his own.
He could run in District 6 when county Commissioner Rebecca Sosa is termed out in 2022. Ladra hears she is looking for an heir apparent to run against State Rep. Bryan Avila.
So how better to start a political career than a run for a city commission seat? Especially an open one, as will be the case when Commissioner Vince Lago runs for mayor in 2021. CJ’s dad must hate the Gables commissioner because Lago sued the county mayor for misusing half-penny tax monies supposed to fund mass transit expansion. Gimenez Junior — who, along with his wife, was very involved in Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo’s race and politics — doesn’t have the chops or guts (read: elected experience) to run for Gables mayor. But even as commissioner, he’d get to annoy and frustrate a future Mayor Lago. Now, that Papa likes.
Or, it could be Tania Cruz who is mulling a run for city commission 
or for mayor against Lago. An attorney, she’s been heavily involved in her father-in-law’s campaign, as well as the Carollo campaign, is a member of Ruth’s List and recently went to campaign training.
Besides, how else are they going to continue to feed the family from the public trough?
Alas, both CJ and Tania say they are not in the mood to run for office — at least not right now.
“My concern is that there is already a lot of cut-through traffic on Minorca and making Alhambra a ‘complete street’ might force more cut-through traffic,” CJ told Ladra on Monday, also adding that he is not lobbying for any bike lane related business.
Still, he looks like he’s been working out. Which would build up his strength to knock on doors.
Spotted: CJ Gimenez at Gables bike lane meet — lobbyist or candidate? added by Ladra on
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