As always, the candidates in our local elections are not the only ones who win or lose come Election Day. A bunch of influence peddlers, lobbyists, developers, consultants, environmentalists, preservationists and other special interests will float up with the winners on the ballot, or go down the losers’ proverbial drains.
And this has become somewhat of a tradition on Political Cortadito. So, without further blah blah blah, here are the winners and losers of the Miami 2023 elections.
WINNERS:
- Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins was downright giddy at Miguel Gabela‘s victory party. Sure, she helped Commissioner Sabina Covo in District 2, but she can work with Commissioner Elect Damian Pardo. That’s not going to be too awkward for very long, if at all. And now she also gets to work with Gabela — or, rather, anyone other than Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who not only did nothing for the district, but also ran his baby brother against her in 2020, and mailed some nasty hit pieces on her.
- Former State Rep. Manny Prieguez, who has become a lobbyist and somewhat influential in Miami, is going to give extra thanks at dinner Thursday. Prieguez provided thousands in funding to Gabela for his campaign. It’s penance, really. Because he also heavily funded ADLP’s 2019 campaign. He can put them in office and also take them out. Prieguez has sued Diaz de la Portilla in civil court for what he says was a shakedown on the Rickenbacker Marina contract. One thing to watch: What he wants from Gabela.
- James Torres didn’t win the election in District 2, coming in fourth in the first round, but the race sure elevated his profile and increased his relevance as the president of the Downtown Neighbors Alliance. His voice is louder now. And by using it to endorse Pardo, who won Tuesday, he sorta wins, too. Or he can pick a winner. He also now has Pardo’s ear, one would assume, so he’ll have more influence on the commission on behalf of the 30,000 people who live downtown.
- Campaign consultant Emiliano Antuñez, who finally got Gabela elected after a few tries. It only took felony charges against the incumbent. And it is a sweet sequel to helping get Steve Losner elected mayor of Homestead last month.
- The citizens of Miami, especially Allapattah and Coconut Grove, are also big winners. Allapattah because they finally may get some real representation in the form of improvements and services from someone who actually does live in the area and doesn’t just pretend to. Coconut Grove because they got a twofer. Not only did they get a new commissioner, a really promising one, to replace the one that broke her promises and ignored their needs on the Virrick pool and other priorities, but they can also revel in the defeat of on one of the incumbents who divided them with pleasure and clear intent during the redistricting process.
LOSERS:
- Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo almost seemed like a candidate in the election, especially in the D2 race, where both candidates were tied to him. But both runoffs were also referendums on Carollo, evidence that the people are not to be fooled any longer. Crazy Joe went on AmericaTV the night before the election to lambast Miguel Gabela, who ran against (and beat) suspended Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, for almost a full half hour. He said Gabela had nefarious intentions. But what he knows is that this could be the end of his reign on the commission. One of the other two commissioners, either Manolo Reyes or Chairwoman Christine King, will read the writing on the wall and join the two new commissioners on their anti-Carollo, er, we mean anti-corruption crusade, which citizens (and Ladra) won’t let them forget.
- The Miami-Dade Democratic Party, which once again backed a local Democrat against another Democrat in a non partisan race — they need to do this in partisan races only. When they do it on these local non partisan races, it usually means that they are grooming the candidate for higher office. Getting him or her (usually her) ready for Congress or the State House. That’s what las malas lenguas say about Miami Commissioner Sabina Covo, who lost Tuesday to financial advisor and human rights activist Damian Pardo. So the Miami-Dade Dems basically wasted their time and money cultivating the wrong person.
- Political consultant Christian Ulvert, who failed to get Covo reelected, which makes her less viable as a potential challenger to Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar or State Senator Ileana Garcia. So that’s one source of future income that’s gone. He’s gonna have to go out and look for another.
- Miami City Attorney Victoria Mendez might be counting her days. Gabela has said repeatedly that it is his first priority to rid the city of Carollo’s legal team. Pardo ran on a platform of rooting out corruption. Tricky Vicky has been caught doing a bunch of unethical, if not illegal, acts in and out of City Hall. Her use of the office to try to thwart a citizen recall of Carollo are well documented on this blog. Remember the cheat sheet? And she is also elbow deep in an operation run by her husband where the couple buys homes from seniors and then resells them for large profits. Just the optics are bad. And again, all they need is one more commissioner to see that the city would do better starting fresh with a real professional.
- Vanessa Garcia Azzam. La pobre. Mrs. Alex Diaz de la Portilla thought she married an upstanding public servant, a city commissioner with a future in politics. She didn’t realize she would be bailing him out of jail and watching him lose his childhood home. She didn’t know she may have to visit him in prison soon. Do they even allow conjugal visits at Metro West? And will she get to keep her no-show job at the county? (More on that later).
- Eddy Leal should have stuck to the pact and endorsed Pardo. Now he’s not only not going to get a job back at the city, but he’s also out of the loop.
The rest of us will win when we get to see that first meeting with Carollo and Gabela on the dais together. Don’t forget the popcorn.
And, as always dear readers, you are welcome to identify your own winners and losers in the comments.
Winners and losers from Miami election added by Ladra on
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