More movement in looming, important, historic 2024 Miami-Dade Sheriff's race

Look out for special interests behind the candidates

After the runoffs in Miami and Miami Beach next week, the focus of political consultants, observers and watchdogs will be on the 2024 ballot. And in Miami-Dade, that means the historic vote to elect the first county sheriff since 1966.

It seems as if every other day there’s a new candidate. We have 11 Republicans and three Democrats so far for a total of 14. Or 15 if you count former Miami Commissioner and Florida State Trooper Joe Sanchez, who seems to be flirting with the idea. But only flirting.

There was a fundraiser Nov. 9 with Sanchez as a “special guest” for a new political action committee called Law and Order controlled by none other than Jesse Manzano, who helped put Carlos Gimenez in the Miami-Dade mayor’s seat and has helped a bunch get elected since. The email for the party at The Biltmore Hotel, forwarded to Ladra, came from Brian Goldmeier, professional fundraiser.

Why was Sanchez a “special guest” and not the candidate? Why is he so noncommittal? Probably because he wants to see how much can be raised before he becomes an official candidate.

So, what we know is Manzano and Goldmeier want to run someone for sheriff. Doesn’t matter who. Sanchez is just their first choice. If he says no thanks, they will just find somebody else.

And they should find somebody else. Sanchez doesn’t have his heart in this. If he values law and order so much he should have run against Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo last year. That was his ticket.

But Manzano will find someone else to run. So will consultant Christian Ulvert, who was working with former Police Director Freddy Ramirez before Ramirez tried to kill himself in Tampa and then, later, withdrew from the race, because he had to.

After all, this is a tremendously golden opportunity for a position that is likely to be the third or second most powerful in the state. One word, people: Procurement. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s department will have a lot of spending to do. That’s why people like Manzano — who tried to get a transit project from the county after electing Gimenez — are going to be involved.

And that is why there are so many candidates. And Political Cortadito will spend the next year separating the opportunists from the true public servants.

The latest to throw their hats in this growing ring are Miami-Dade Police Assistant Director Rosanna “Rosie” Cordero-Stutz (and her consultants must love that name) who filed Oct. 16, and Miami-Dade Police Maj. Jose L. Aragu, of the Midwest District Station, who filed two days later.

He worked at the Port of Miami a year ago. She is number two at the department right now and the only Republican woman in the race. Cordero-Stutz is also a 27-year veteran and the highest ranking of the nine Miami-Dade Police command officers who have filed paperwork with the elections department to run. The updated, entire list now (sans Sanchez, who is wishy washy):

Miami-Dade Police Maj. John Barrow (D)
Former federal agent Susan Khoury (D)
MDPD Lt. Rickey Mitchell (Ret.) (D)
Jaspen Bishop, a security guard from Homestead (R)
Miami Police Officer; Retired Marion County Sheriff’s Office District Comm. Ruamen Delarua (R)
MDPD Reserve Ofc. Alex Fornet (Ret.) (R)
MDPD Maj. Mario Knapp (Ret.) (R)
MDPD Sgt. Orlando Lopez (R)
MDPD Ofc. Ernie Rodriguez (Ret.) (R)
MDPD Ofc. Rolando Riera (R)
Former MDPD Maj. Ignacio “Iggy” Alvarez (R)
Former PBA President and retired MDPD Sgt. John Rivera (R)
MDPD Assistant Director Rosanna “Rosie” Cordero-Stutz (R)
MDPD Maj. Jose Aragu (R)

Cordero-Stutz is also chair of the department’s internal sheriff’s transition team, so she’s on top of all the moving parts that are going to go into this change. Friends say she was supporting Ramirez until he decided not to run.

Miami-Dade voters abolished the sheriff’s office in 1966 after a grand jury uncovered a burglary racket led by then-Sheriff T.A. Buchanan. After that, for the next 57 years, the Miami-Dade Police Department has operated under the leadership of a director appointed by the county mayor. But the mayor acts as the defacto sheriff. Which can be okay under some mayors but a problem under others — like the one who abolished the public corruption unit at MDPD.

If you appreciate independent government watchdog journalism, you can support Political Cortadito with a donation to help defray costs and keep Ladra digging. Thank you for your encouragement.

In 2018, voters statewide approved an amendment that would require all counties to elect constitutional officers — sheriff, supervisor of elections and tax collector. Miami-Dade was the only county of the 67 in Florida that doesn’t have a sheriff. But the measure failed here in Miami-Dade, getting only 58% of the vote when 60% was required, and the move has been criticized as Tallahassee trying to take more power from Miami-Dade.

Earlier this year, state legislators sealed that power by prohibiting the county from establishing its own police force for the unincorporated areas, a measure championed by Commissioner Raquel Regalado, who fears that municipalities with their own police department will have far more police patrol and protection than the unincorporated municipal service area.

Joe Sanchez, Miami-Dade sheriff

More movement in looming, important, historic 2024 Miami-Dade Sheriff’s race added by Ladra on November 19, 2023
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