Miami-Dade Democrats celebrate round of wins and rally for November contests

But gap between Dem and GOP voters was small

Democrats in Miami-Dade had a good day on Tuesday, and not just because Mayor Daniella Levine Cava won re-election outright in the first round with a solid 58%. The blue party, which dominated the absentee ballot game, also enjoyed a number of other victories.

“Democrats in Miami-Dade are energized and mobilized as we look ahead to November,” Miami-Dade Democrats Chair Shevrin Jones said in a statement Wednesday. “From Miami Gardens to Homestead, we saw that Democrats are putting in the work on the ground and continuing to outvote Republicans in the state’s most populous county.”

Well, just barely. The final turnout numbers show that only 1,654 more Democrats voted than Republicans, who made up a lot of ground in early voting and Election Day ballots, when there were more red ballots.

But perhaps that’s what makes Levine Cava’s victory that much more sweet.

Jones also celebrated the slam-dunk win for Miami-Dade School Board Member Luisa Santos, who beat Kimberly Beltran, a claims processor who had no business running, with 62% of the vote. While this is technically and still a non partisan race — though that could change in November (more on that later) — it’s become more and more so in recent years. Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis took several vacated seats and appointed members that would fight his culture wars. Beltran would have joined them.

“The extreme right-wing culture wars and attacks on public education are no match for Luisa standing strong for our schools, students and families — not to mention her incredible organizing,” Jones said.

He said the work ahead would be “laser-focused” on keeping up the momentum through November, listing the candidates that Miami-Dade Dems will be supporting. They are:

U.S. Senate – Debbie Mucarsel-Powell
U.S. Congress, FL-24 – Rep. Frederica Wilson
U.S. Congress, FL-26 – Joey Atkins
U.S. Congress, FL-27 – Lucia Báez-Geller
U.S. Congress, FL-28 – Phil Ehr
State Senate, SD-37 – Sen. Jason Pizzo
State Senate, SD-39 – Charles A. Lewis
State Representative, HD-106 – Joe Saunders
State Representative, HD-107 – Wallace Aristide
State Representative, HD-110 – Stanley “J.P.” Jean-Poix
State Representative, HD-111 – Laura Kelley
State Representative, HD-112 – Jacqueline “Jackie” Gil-Abarzua
State Representative, HD-113 – Jacqueline “Jackie” Gross-Kellogg
State Representative, HD-114 – Matthew Bornstein
State Representative, HD-115 – Norma Perez Schwartz
State Representative, HD-116 – Nicolas Ramos
State Representative, HD-117 – Rep. Kevin Chambliss
State Representative, HD-118 – Joel Vodola
State Representative, HD-119 – Marcos Reyes
State Representative, HD-120 – Michael Travis
Miami-Dade Property Appraiser – Marisol Zenteno
Miami-Dade Tax Collector – David Richardson
Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections – Juan-Carlos “J.C.” Planas
Miami-Dade Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller – Annette Taddeo
Miami-Dade Sheriff – James Reyes
Miami-Dade County Commission, District 7 – Cindy Lerner
Miami-Dade School Board, District 3 – Joseph “Joe” Geller
Miami-Dade School Board, District 7 – Maxeme “Max” Tuchman

In two of those races, the Democrat candidates are already winners because there is no Republican qualified for the seat.

In the Florida House District 107 Democrat primary, longtime educator and high school principal Wallace Aristide got 45% against five other Democrat candidates. It’s not a huge surprise that he won. But it’s kind of unexpected that Monique Nicole Barley-Mayo, a onetime mayoral and county commission candidate, would come in third with 11%. Maybe it was her endorsement of comedian, activist and podcaster Alex Otaola — who once performed in black face — for the county mayoral seat. That district is predominantly black.

In Florida House District 109, State Rep. Ashley Gantt practically coasted to re-election. She got 53% while former State Rep. James Bush III got 29% and Roy Hardemon got 18%.

“This victory belongs to all of us who believe in the power of grassroots organizing and the fight for our shared values,” Gantt, an attorney and educator first elected in 2022, said in a statement. “Two years ago, we made history by standing up for freedom, justice, and the rights of our community – and tonight, we’ve done it again. I’m honored to continue serving the district I was raised in, advocating for our teachers, students, families, and workers.

“Together, we’ve fought to protect our rights and uplift every voice, and we’re just getting started. Let’s keep pushing for progress, solving the challenges facing our community, and delivering results for all. Thank you for your trust and support—there’s so much more we can achieve together.”

Then there are the races that look like a waste of time, specifically Joey Atkins against Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, Phil Ehr against Congressman Carlos Gimenez and Norma Perez Schwartz against Omar Blanco for state rep in HD 115. Ladra is not saying that it should be a waste of time, just that it is what it is. And these are not Democratic strongholds. These people could be worthy. Just not here and now.

That’s not the case with Lucia Baez-Geller, who beat Mike Davey handily (54% to 46%) in Tuesday’s primary for the chance to go up against Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar. It’s a district that is split pretty evenly between Republicans, Democrats and independents. Salazar has gotten a lot of flack lately as Trump’s Not 1 surrogate, missing votes to attend his trial, and lying about federal dollars she voted against and now says she brought back home. And with another Hispanic woman — she’s half Colombian and can pull that voter bloc — Salazar could be vulnerable. Dems have tried a bunch of Anglos in that seat, where more than 70% of the voters hablan Español. Let’s try something else.

Among the other races that are likely to get the most attention, and which are also winnable, are the new constitutional offices that shouldn’t be partisan but are by state law. That includes the race for sheriff, where James Reyes will face Miami-Dade Police Assistant Director Rosanna “Rosie” Cordero-Stutz, who beat Trooper Joe Sanchez in the primary. That’s a big one. But so is the election for Supervisor of Elections, where JC Planas is going to face State Rep. Alina Garcia, who will not say that the 2020 election wasn’t stolen.

Miami-Dade November sheriff’s race pits James Reyes vs Rosie Cordero-Stutz

David Richardson, a former Miami Beach Commissioner and state rep running for tax collector against the Republican primary winner, Dariel Fernandez, and Marisol Zenteno, who has worked at the appraiser’s office since 2015 and lost a race in 2020 against Pedro García, against former Mayor Tomas Regalado, have been spared a primary. So they’re races actually began in earnest on Wednesday. Ditto with former Sen. Annette Taddeo, who has challenged Miami-Dade Clerk and Comptroller Juan Fernandez-Barquin, another DeSantis appointee. We’re surrounded by them.

Ladra suspects they will also send resources to the two Dems in the, ahem, non-partisan, ahem, Miami-Dade School Board runoffs: Former State Rep. Joe Geller against former School Board Member Martin Karp and onetime educator turned tech entrepreneur Maxeme “Max” Tuchman against Mary Blanco, one of those aforementioned DeSantis appointees.

Then there is former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who beat three other wannabes — including Luther Campbell’s brother Stanley, who came in second — to challenge Sen. Rick Scott, who is unliked even by Republicans, in November (more on that later). That is going to be a priority.

Levine Cava will be joined by Mucarsel-Powell and a bunch of other Dems — including slate mates Planas, Taddeo, Reyes and Richardson, who are all represented by the same political consultant, Christian Ulvert — Thursday at Cerveceria La Tropical for “Democratic unity rally” and national convention watch party just as Vice President Kamala Harris takes the stage to accept the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.

Elections 2024, Miami-Dade Democrats

Miami-Dade Democrats celebrate round of wins and rally for November contests added by Ladra on August 22, 2024
View all posts by Ladra →