Joe Sanchez, James Reyes raise the most funds for Miami-Dade sheriff’s race

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Joe Sanchez, James Reyes raise the most funds for Miami-Dade sheriff’s race
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A forum for the candidates is scheduled Wednesday

Two of the 17 candidates for Miami-Dade sheriff — who have all been invited to a forum on Wednesday — have out-fundraised the rest by leaps and bounds, and they are exactly who everyone expected to lead the money race, which is likely to be in the millions.

Democrat James Reyes, the Miami-Dade director of public safety, has raised close to $400,000 between his campaign account and his political action committee, while Republican Joe Sanchez, a Florida Highway Patrol officer and former Miami City commissioner, raised just a little more, with $415,000, according to the latest campaign finance reports.

They also show that Reyes, who has the endorsement of Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, had more cash on hand as of March 31 when you count the contributions to the campaign accounts. Reyes reported raising $90,050 while Sanchez reported $85,957 in his account.

In hand, Reyes had almost $327,000 while Sanchez had less than $290,000 in the bank.

The bulk of the contributions were reported in their respective PACs.

Read related: Joe Sanchez could join clown car of Miami-Dade sheriff candidates for 2024

Sanchez has Law and Order, which reported $126,500 in the first quarter of the year for a total of $329,300. The biggest contribution is $25,000 from retired attorney and investor David Flory, a Miami Beach resident who also once gifted $500K to the renovation of the Wright Memorial Library in his hometown of Oakwood, Ohio. After that, developer and luxury auto magnate Manny Kadre gave $20,000. The other big donors, each with $10K, are:

  • Developer Armando Codina
  • Attorney Richard Schulze
  • Real estate investor Moshe Popack
  • Gasoline mogul and developer Max Alvarez
  • Lobbyist Brian May
  • Attorney Richard Cole, senior partner at Cole, Scott and Kissane in Kendall
  • Coastland Properties, which purchased a $38 million development site in Doral last year

The operators of the Bayshore Drive marina and Mocca Realty each gave $7,500, loan provider Bernie Navarro gave $6,000, car mogul Mario Murgado, former Miami City Manager Joe Arriola, electrical contractor Hector Ortiz and Versailles owner Felipe Valls each gave $5,000, lobbyist and developer Ralph Garcia Toledo gave $4,000, Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago gave $2,500 from his PAC and his pal, former Coral Gables Commissioner Frank Quesada, gave $2,500, too.

The bulk of the Sanchez PAC expenses, and it has spent more than $115,000, have been for campaign consultant Jesse Manzano and advertising consultant Daniel Bustamante, whose Artisan Agency worked with Miami Mayor Francis Suarez to create the “How can I help?” NFT collection. How’s that going? He’s also paid a lot of commission to fundraising consultant Brian Goldmeier, who is raking it in this year.

Reyes had a better quarter with his PAC, Miami-Dade Safe and Secure, which reported $285,000 in contributions. That’s almost three times as much as was raised in all of last year. The PAC had $87,250 when it was going to work for former Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez, whose unfortunate suicide attempt last August forced him to drop out of the race.

His biggest PAC contributors are Levine Cava, who gave $50,000 from her PAC, Our Democracy, and Broward First PAC, which gave $50,000.

Read related: Miami-Dade Sheriff’s race expands with Dem Broward candidate James Reyes

There are a bunch of Democratic Party PACs contributing. And, because Reyes has spent almost his entire professional life in Broward, there are also a bunch of Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies and employees. Among those who gave generously:

  • Jose Vasquez, senior specialist at L3Harris Technologies gave $25,000.
  • Lewis Stahl, owner of NextGen Management, a medical technology company, who was ordered to federal prison in 2019 following his conviction for evading millions of dollars in personal income taxes, gave $25,000. He is also vice chairman of the Broward Sheriff’s Advisory Council.
  • Maurice Vaughn, owner of The Kid’s Academy, gave $24,000
  • Matthew Hall of EMCI Wireless in Sebring, FL, gave $10,000.
  • New Jersey developer Michael Fux (great name) gave $10,000.
  • Real estate broker Monica Veiga gave $10,000 (so did someone named Giovanni Veiga).
  • Geno Reofaro, CEO of SaferWatch, an app that works with law enforcement, gave $10,000.
  • Lobbyist Ron Book gave $5,000.

Most of the PAC’s $126,468 in expenses is for campaign consultant Christian Ulvert, communications consultant Claire VanSusteren and fundraising consultant Gregory Goddard.

Because Democrat Ricky Mitchell, a retired police officer turned funeral director, loaned himself $275,000 of the $292K he’s raised (meaning he has really only raised $17,000), the other top fundraisers in the race are all Republican:

  • Miami-Dade Police Maj. Jose Aragu reported raising $137,000
  • Attorney Ignacio Alvarez, a retired Miami-Dade Police major, reported raising $214,000
  • Miami-Dade Police Assistant Director Rosanna “Rosie” Cordero-Stutz reported raising $166,000.
  • Retired Miami-Dade Police Maj. Mario Knapp reported raising $260,000
  • Former Police Benevolent Association President John Rivera, a retired Miami-Dade Police officer, reported raising $143,000
  • Miami-Dade Police Department Lt. Ernesto Rodriguez raised $175,000

A group called Citizens Defending Freedom have invited all candidates to a forum from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Wilde Community Center in Hialeah, 1701 W 53rd Terr.

There are two forums following that one. The Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Florida and Federated Republican Women of Miami Beach will host candidates fro 4 to 6 p.m. April 28 at 1500 Ocean Drive, and the ALF-CIO and WPLG Local 10 will have a forum moderated by journalist Glenna Milberg, host of This Week In South Florida, beginning at 6:30 p.m. May 23 at 1657 NW 17 Ave.

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20 Responses to "Joe Sanchez, James Reyes raise the most funds for Miami-Dade sheriff’s race"

  10. RAG sounds like Joe writing about himself. Funny how he defends “Joe Sanchez” regarding not being a real police officer but then criticizes James Reyes for the same issue.

    Neither one have any business being a sheriff. Neither have been real police officers.

    To continue in with Joe Sanchez, standby more baggage is about to surface Inc more indiscretions while married to wife #2. He was kicked off the security detail for the Lt governor because he was always on the phone with the ladies and not paying to the Lt governor well being. He is a wannbe and will be a total disgrace.

    I haven’t made up my mind who the best person for sheriff but anyone that has not real police experience plus anyone that comes from the city of miami (hub of corruption) is scratched off my list.

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  11. For everyone here that has something negative to say about Joe Sanchez let me just say that you have it all wrong. Joe Sanchez is a good person. I have seen it first hand. You may not agree with him that doesn’t mean you need to bash him. He holds all the leadership skills that our public figures should emulate. He has the experience and works tirelessly as a public servant. As someone with family that worked in the City of Miami during his tenure as Commissioner and as someone that resides in that municipality I will say that he did many great things that improved the services that the City provides. As a State Trooper, I have seen him work day in and day out on different assignments that most people are unaware of. He gets the job done. Again, he holds many virtues his opponents do not have. There is a reason why he has fundraised so much. He is held dear by those who have met him. He is a great contender for the job. He has even said it himself that the position of Sheriff should not be a partisan election. In other words, I can even rub for sheriff without having a police certificate. It is a plus but folks, it is not required.
    As far as him lacking compassion. So not true. He is compassionate. Through the years I have seen it firsthand. He helps people and he is kindhearted. As far as immigration is concerned, would you allow a stranger in your home? Don’t you lock your door before leaving your house? I understand people come to this country to better themselves but I do not think it is right that people should storm our borders. There is a immigration process that one should honor and overstaying here is nothing short of treason against this country. Think of how many dormant sleeper cells are infiltrated amongst us? When Joe Sanchez took over District 3 in the City of Miami, he stood up to the then Mayor that fired the City Manager…I believe there is still media coverage on this story in the Sun Sentinel. When he was the City of Miami Commissioner I was very young but well educated to know about my local politics than most of the residents that reside within the Magic City. I do know for a fact that the Miami Orange Bowl was a structural hazard. It was going to eventually be torn down due to many violations. We have a beautiful Stadium that has already been paid for and us the Citizens of Miami-Dade county are not on the hook as stated here. When elected Joe Sanchez was in charge of many projects. He improved Henderson and Jose Martí parks respectively. He was one of the Masterminds of Viernes Cultural. All while still being a Reserve State Trooper. Although you didn’t hear about what he did, he would help the public. This smear campaign is not fair and it is not correct. I am very concerned that someone would make slanderous accusations about this gentleman. As far as being a father, he very doting. He has raised four beautiful kids. Joe Sanchez has the chops to be Miami-Dade’s Sheriff when the August and November elections happen.
    As far as James Reyes, he is being groomed for the position by the Madam Mayor DLC. He only as experience in corrections and sadly, he is neither a resident or registered to vote in Miami-Dade County. If he really wanted to run for office why didn’t he do it in Broward? I mean with a Swinger of a Sheriff is really not setting a good example to the Citizens it is supposed to represent. I’d stick to Joe Sanchez and if you think you can do a better job than him, then please have the courage to be his opponent.

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  12. I think it is important to realize that Joe Sanchez “works” for FHP Auxiliary. He is not an actual day to day trooper or law enforcement office. I have my personal choice, who is a long time police officer, but this idea that Sanchez is a “Trooper” with day to day to real experience is ridiculous.

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  13. Joe Sanchez is a disgrace. His circle of friends is questionable and it was expected that he would would receive special interest money which is what the public DID NOT want.
    His time at the city of Miami was a stellar one. He was involved in questionable votes that DID NOT benefit the citizens.
    He professess being a hard core republican with pro life agendas. Ask him about his indiscretions with women, esp former commissioner Angel Gonzalez’ daughter, who was whisked away for
    An abortion. It caused Sanchez’ marriage to break up leaving 3 small children behind.
    But, more than that Sanchez DOES NOT know the Miami Dade system, never being a real policeman. He wrote tickets for god sake and he never supervised real cops.
    He is polluted with political sewage and is what citizens voted against when they voted for the sheriff. Politicians keep your grubby hands off the force!

    Reply

  14. PEOPLE : WE NEED A SHERIFF Like Grady Judge and Not A Corrier Politician That True his Local Ties will Have a Political Policing Like We HAVe Right NOW ? WE NEED LAW and ORDER From All And Many of This Donnors/ Bribes May Need To End in JAIL ?

    Reply

  15. Joe Sanchez = vince lago , francis Suarez, Alex portilla all what is wrong with the friends plan.

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  16. I was leaning towards Sanchez, but seeing the donation from Lago turned me away. We need a real public corruption unit. It is hard to start an investigation on a campaign donor.

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  17. Joe Sanchez was a commissioner of the very corrupt City of Miami. When Joe was commissioner he was corrupt. Maybe because he is dumb scammers could easily take advantage of him. Taxpayers are forced to pay over $3 Billion because of corrupt commissioners lead by Joe Sanchez and Marc Sarnoff. They pushed the $3 Billlion taxpayer expense of the Marlins Stadium. Taxpayers will be paying off the debt on that scam for 80 years.

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  18. Several days ago I heard Sanchez in a radio interview and he sounded pretty much like the Florida governor, getting into immigration issues when he himself and/or his family were immigrants who happened to get a carte Blanche from the U.S. government, as 99% of all Cubans have received to enter this country. His lack of compassion turned me off completely.

    Reply

  19. Estela,

    I agree and even Sheriff no less .

    You can not run for office without real money thus indebted to someone.

    The system is not made for the average person.

    Reply

  20. Am I the only one who thinks it is very wrong for sheriff candidates to be accepting money? Aren’t they supposed to treat everyone equally and fairly? Why would people donate to their campaigns? What’s in it for them?
    This doesn’t pass a smell test.

    Reply

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