Democrat elections chief candidate Willis Howard has a shady slate card

GOP candidates, gym equipment get thumbs up

A Democrat candidate for Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections has distributed hundreds, maybe thousands of slate cards with endorsements for the Aug. 20 ballot that include judges, the county mayor, the county sheriff’s race — and two Republican incumbents that have never been elected but were, instead, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

This practically proves that political operative Willis Howard, who specializes in slate cards for his clients, is not a serious candidate. This is for supervisor of elections. How can that person be shilling for any particular candidate?

One side of the slate card shows a picture of former First Lady Michelle Obama with her famous quote, “When they go low, we go high!” Because with the title “Miami-Dade County Official Slate Card” on the other side, which lists Howard’s choices, it is supposed to look like an official party endorsement list. it’s intentionally misleading. Did Ladra mention that this person is running for supervisor of elections.

Among the nods are two very interesting ones — endorsements for Miami-Dade Commissioner Roberto “Rob” Gonzalez and School Board Member Mary Blanco, both of whom were appointed by DeSantis to fill empty seats. Both are Republicans running in nonpartisan races.

Howard also recommends voting yes on the city of Coral Gables ballot question about annexing Little Gables, the city of South Miami referendum on changing the voting requirements to issue bonds or borrow money and all three of Miami’s ballot questions, including Commissioner Joe Carollo‘s question on keeping the installed outdoor gym equipment at Maurice Ferre Park (more on that later).

What on Earth would Howard know about those things?

And why would Howard, who is running for his own competitive seat in a race he is almost sure to lose to former State Rep. JC Planas, be campaigning for other candidates? Because it’s his job, maybe? He is known for creating seemingly Democrat Party slate cards for clients who pay him.

That would certainly be unethical and it might even be illegal if he is commingling campaign funds from other candidates with his own. Howard has reported raising $66,640 (well, $41,000 was in loans to himself) and spending $27K through July 15. That leaves him with $39,640.

The slate card might be a state elections violation because the disclaimer says it is paid for and approved by Howard “independent of any candidate.” Except he is a candidate. And he endorses himself.

It could also violate the rules of the Democrat Party, though Howard said the GOP candidates he endorsed are in non partisan races, which makes it okay.

Reached on his cellphone Friday, Howard would not say why he endorsed those two Republican candidates and defended his slate card, which he insisted he paid for himself, at 8 cents a pop.

“In our community, we’ve alway had slate cards so black folk know who we are supporting,” Howard told Political Cortadito, reminding us of former Congressman Kendrick Meek‘s “Meek’s Quick Picks,” which he said he took over after Meek stopped doing them 14 years ago. He said he’s published hundreds of slate cards since.

“It’s to help my community out. They always ask me who are the best people to vote for,” Howard said. “Im exercising my right. The law allows anyone to do this.”

Howard said he has produced hundreds of slate cards throughout 14 years of work as a consultant and that he knows how to follow the law. “The reason why my card is so strong is because the community has decided I’ve been a good steward of the community,” he said. Yet, he takes issue with Ladra calling him the “Slate Card King.”

It might be legal, but it’s shady AF. Between the title and the picture of Mrs. Obama, it is likely to be confused for an official party card by a least some voters. He didn’t have to use that title. Or that photo.

It’s especially worrisome because Howard is running for supervisor of elections at a time when the integrity of that office has never been more obviously important. Planas and Arnie Benjamin Weiss are also running. But Weiss, as much as he hates it, won’t be a factor. That’s why Howard is only attacking Planas for having once been a Republican in the Florida House who voted for the very controversial “stand your ground” legislation in 2005. (Two years later, btw, Planas, who became Democrat after Donald Trump hijacked the Republican Party, voted against a National Rifle Association supported bill to allow Florida gun owners to stow their firearms in their cars while at work).

This is perhaps one election where Howard might have skipped his own slate card and let someone else endorse him for a change. Planas said it was worrisome: “If he’s making money off of this, he’s definitely going to try to make money off of the supervisor of elections office.”

Howard said he’s got at least one more election where he can distribute a slate card before he is, ahem, elected and then he will stop doing so. Ladra doesn’t believe him. He will find a justification in telling his community who to support. He is running for supervisor of elections to further his career.

He also said he did not dislike Republicans, per se, and could work with members of both parties (even those who voted for the stand your ground law?). “There are some people who are good and some people who are bad on both sides. Ask me about it and I’ll tell you,” he challenged.

So Ladra did. She asked Howard why he thought Gonzalez and Blanco were so much better as candidates than the others in their respective races. He didn’t answer. Instead, Howard went on a 20-minute rant, barely allowing Ladra to speak — even though I managed to ask the same question several times — about how she had written him off from the beginning, calling it “malpractice” and saying that I never gave him a chance, blah blah bah, even after he emailed me, yada yada.

He’s right about that. Ladra stands by my analysis that Planas is the best qualified for this particular position because of his election law experience and that he is also more likely to beat State Rep. Alina Garcia, who is running as the Republican candidate in the November election, in a countywide race.

But perhaps Ladra did write Howard off too soon. He’s obviously a wily political operative. He is good at this stuff. He could do much better and the vote could be closer than any of us previously expected.

Anyway, after Howard hung up to get ready for a make-up Miami Herald editorial screening — he got a solo interview days after he missed the scheduled one for whatever reason (asked and he didn’t answer that either) — we communicated via text. Howard said that he made many of his endorsements for incumbents based on input from voters as he knocked on doors and went to forums for his own campaign.

“I happened to have listened to candidates and voters for all the other positions. If people were happy with their incumbents, I left the incumbents,” he said.

We shall see pretty soon how good his slate card is.

Elections 2024, JC Planas, Willis Howard

Democrat elections chief candidate Willis Howard has a shady slate card added by Ladra on August 2, 2024
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