Miami Beach Commissioners Micky Steinberg and Michael Góngora will say their goodbyes to the dais Monday morning as the newly-elected Kristen Rosen Gonzalez and Alex Fernandez are sworn in and take their respective places.
But we aren’t really rid of them, yet.
Góngora, who wanted to run for re-election but was told by a judge that he couldn’t seek a third full term, is widely rumored to be eyeing the city’s mayoral race in two years.
He’s not leaving public office, that’s for sure. He said as much in a tweet Friday: “Stay tuned for my future plans in public service.”
In an email to residents sent last week, Góngora — who supported Rosen Gonzalez, Fernandez and Commissioner Mark Samuelian, who will be sworn in Monday — says pretty much the same thing: “Stay tuned for news on my plans to continue representing you in public office.” He adds that he’ll share those plans “very soon.”
Ladra can’t wait.
“We accomplished much together during my tenure, including public safety measures; sustainability and resiliency plans; LGBTQ and senior citizens initiatives, as well as all of the COVID-19 recovery and other matters we collaborated on,” he wrote, adding that he was appointed by Higgins to the Miami-Dade County Board of Rules and Appeals, which hears building officials’ appeals of Building Officials, grants Temporary Certificates of Occupancy and reviews and interprets the Building Code.
Read related: Fighters Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, Alex Fernandez win runoffs in Miami Beach
We know Steinberg’s plans.
One of Christian’s Angels — a client of political consultant Christian Ulvert — Steinberg opened a bank account in April and has raised more than $350,000 for the Miami-Dade County commission seat in District 4, to replace the termed-out Sally Heyman, a former state rep who was first elected commissioner in 2002.
There was $234,000 in contributions, according to campaign finance reports filed last week. She also has $122,500 in her political action committee, Miami-Dade Forward.
District 4 as drawn right now — and the county is in the middle of a redistricting process to adjust for population growth — has 12 municipalities in its boundaries, in addition to Miami Beach, that is. It goes all the way to the Broward County line.
Steinberg was first elected Miami Beach city commissioner in 2013, the year after her husband, former State Rep. Richard Steinberg, resigned under investigation for sexting a female federal prosecutor.
Nobody else has expressed interest in the seat, but it’s early.
Goodbye to Miami Beach’s Michael Góngora and Micky Steinberg – for now added by Ladra on
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