The candidates are not the only ones who won and/or lost in Tuesday’s elections for county, school board, judicial and state offices. There are other victors and losers, also. People who will ride the winners’ coattails or who depended on the losers.
Without further ado, here are Ladra’s winners and losers from the Miami-Dade elections:
WINNERS
Christian Ulvert — This political consultant is not only celebrating the comfortable victory by his candidate and Miami-
Dade State Attorney Kathy Fernandez-Rundle, who got 60% of the vote against Melba Pearson, but he also has at least three clients in runoffs, including a second place finish for mayoral candidate Daniella Levine Cava, who is poised to make history in November. Ka-ching. Let him pick up the tab.
David Custin — This political consultant, best known for his negative mail pieces and opposition research, also stands to make a lot of money working on Commissioner Esteban Bovo‘s campaign through a political action committee and money paid by former House Speaker Jose Oliva.
Read related: Esteban Bovo leads mayoral race, goes to runoff vs Daniella Levine Cava
Eric Zichella — As a county lobbyist who commissioned the only poll that predicted Bovo would get the most votes — and that Levine Cava would come in second place — this kind of puts Zichella on another level and he’s going to be unbearable for the next three months. More than usual.
Marco Rubio — The popular Cuban-American senator endorsed both Bovo, who came out on top in the mayoral race, and State Rep. Daniel Perez, who easily defeated a candidate funded by Oliva. He’s 2 for 2.
Dade County PBA — The police union backed Bovo and will get a lot of press mileage out of his “police lives matter” campaign message.
LOSERS
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez — Papi’s loss could drag Baby X down just as he has to start fundraising 
for his own up-for-grabs re-election next year. This will hurt Xavier Suarez more than his own loss Tuesday, but he just had to make junior a centerpiece in his campaign, ignoring advice from Ladra and others. It’s also going to be difficult for X to raise money for his son now that donors are a little pissed off that he didn’t really run a campaign.
Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez — The most abusive mayor in Miami-Dade went out on a limb to endorse a Democrat in a Republican stronghold when he backed former Mayor Alex Penelas over Esteban Bovo. Hernandez should have stayed in his lane.
Read related: Todo Hialeah, except Carlos Hernandez, hosts mayoral event for Esteban Bovo
Mike Fernandez — What a waste of $300,000, which is what the healthcare mogul invested in the Penelas campaign through the Bold Vision political action committee. Ladra bets Fernandez has got buyer’s remorse.
P.A.G.E. 2020 — The political action committee founded and funded by Rita Schwartz, who was also co-founder of the Pets’ Trust initiative. It has lost any credibility after putting all their eggs in one crazy basket for activist and Pets’ Trust other co-founder Michael Rosenberg in the District 7 commission race. Not only did they do everything illegally — yard signs on public right of way, truck signs too close to the precinct — they may be hard pressed to re taise funds or be taken seriously in the future.
There may be other winners and losers from this primary August election. Ladra’s head is still spinning. So feel free to add your own suggestions for winners and losers in the comments below.
Winners and losers from Miami-Dade elections are not just the candidates added by Ladra on
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At least, 70% were not for Cava….
At least, 70% were not for Bovo…
It’s not really about the majority ruling….
It’s about political strategy…
Dark shadows are billowing on the horizon….
The Pets’ Trust was an innovative, viable plan to solve the needs of animals-both companion animals and strays-in Miami-Dade County. The initiative received a majority (almost 500,000 votes), which was later single-handedly blocked (“killed”) by Mayor Carlos Gimenez. Co-founders Rita Schwartz and Michael Rosenberg worked, without pay, for thousands of hours toward a better environment for the animals and people of Miami-Dade County. They are the polar opposite of “losers”. It is unconscionable to disparage two of the most decent and dedicated and selfless people I have had the privilege and pleasure to have known. Miami-Dade County is richer for their presence.
Voting for Cava, do you want Miami to be like New York, Democrats should think about that, must do not agree with the new Democrats Party, only left turns
County services are about to come to a gridlock with either of these extremists in office…
Better start praying….
Tell Padrino to start the sacrifices….
A tough choice between Cava and Bovo in the coming runoff. Cava may turn us into the next Minneapolis / Portland / Seattle / Chicago, and Bovo might lapse back into Penelas-like corruption. Highly satisfying to see fat cats like Mike Fernandez fritter away $300k on Penelas.
But at least we dumped Penelas, thank goodness. He was a guaranteed fast track to back to the maximum sliminess he generated the first time he was mayor. Remember that back in the mid 2000’s he brought in, as COUNTY MANAGER, of all jobs, that prince of slime, STEVE SHIVER. We also dodged that bullet (I hope) that would have been Penelas’s lead crew of lobbyists: Chris Korge and Rodney Barreto.
What a relief that we did not get that crew again…unless we elect Bovo and they attach themselves to Bovo like lampreys.
simon hendrixx.
PC I am not and MOST Cubans in Miami are NOT going to vote for a Black candidate or a non Cuban , sad REALITY .
I voted against Rundle but I know ” My Cuban people ” . I said like a week ago in another forum here that though I was voting against Rundle but she was going to be reelected based only on complexion and /or the other woman not being Cuban because everyone knows how she enables political corruption and grossly inept she is .
My experience in Miami is MOST Cubans are ethnic voting separatist and God forbid the other Hispanic tribes bother voting more then once every 4 years .
Though I was born in Cuba I can’t stand the SELF DEFEATING , ethnic voting disease which is rampant in Miami
I can see if Rundle was good but everyone loses with her except the corrupt politicos .
Christopher Davis,
Gimenez is as much of a Republican as NY’s ‘ AOC ‘ , A big difference is that NY does not have an endless curfew which has devoured lots of businesses .
People from Miami are going to Broward to eat and other things which Gimenez has shut down , he is the kiss of death for businesses and when the police were told to enforce the mask ” law ” which I support , the cop at the airport was thrown under the bus by Gimenez .
Bovo is as corrupt as they come who will be just like his corrupt buddy Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez. I’m a registered republican and I’ll be voting for the far superior and more intelligent candidate Daniella Levine Cava.There will be no change in Miami-Dade County Government if Bozo/Bovo wins !Also Bovo’s wife works for Marco Rubio so of course he’s going to endorse a Corrupt guy like Bovo ! Senator Marco Rubio is not squeaky clean either .Plenty of sneaky Corruption in his past as well ! Just ask his Chief of Staff !
We hope voters choose Cava in November. Thank goodness voters crushed that crook Alex Penelas. Hopefully, Penelas disappears under a rock. Again. In the meantime, everytime you drive by the AA Arena remember that Penelas campaigned aggressively against it and then once elected he immediately (wink wink) gave a billionaire a no rent lease to cover the site in concrete
thereby depriving the public of a larger Bicentennial Park.
Dear Ms DeValle and All:
Thank you for your excellent coverage throughout this Election season.
I personally am glad to see voters apparently support the Police over BLM protests.
To me, that is the best news you have reported.
Although I voted for Bovo because of Covid 19 survival concerns, Alex Penelas was my sentimental favorite and personal hero.
I am glad Mr Penelas rejoined the Electoral process and hope he will run again.
I fear a Covid 19 “vaccine” will contain nano chemicals connecting our brains to artificial intelligence, and since computers now beat human world chess champions, artificial intelligence will dominate humans’ brains, taking away our freedom of choice, and ending humanity as we know it.
Microsoft has obtained US Patent Number 06 06 06 to do just this, per CIA whistleblower Kevin Shipp.
Esteban Bovo, certainly in terms of trying to reopen the economy and protect businesses and jobs from what I consider to be gross over reaction to Super Flu Covid 19, is unquestionably a JOBSAVER, and God-Willing a LIFESAVER for Miami-Dade Countians.
Dr Andrew Kaufman and David Icke allege Covid 19 “vaccines” will contain Bill Gates sterility drugs.
I believe Mr Bovo’s surprise resurgence, therefore, is a RESCUE for SACRED MIAMIDADE LATINOS AND EVERYONE.
Thank you for allowing me to express myself.
Sincerely,
Jackson Rip Holmes
This proofs That Money CAN’T Buy an ELECTION ! SAO Should Investigate CORRUPTION in MDC ? “NO MORE BRIBES/DONATIONS in #OURCOUNTY?
Rundle needed 2 go…uninspired incumbent judges rightfully are now history. Moss knows little or nothing of school board policies y problems….pray he’s beaten in November.