If you live in Senate District 40, where incumbent Sen. Annette Taddeo is facing a challenge from Republican superwoman Marili Cancio, then you also probably live in either House 
District 115 or House District 118.
This Wednesday, you have a chance to see the candidates in both your senate and house race at the first of three candidate forums brought to us by the Kendall Federation of Homeowner Associations, which has been hosting some well-attended candidate forums since at least 2011.
Beginning at 7 p.m., residents can hear from Democrat Jeffrey Solomon and Republican Vance Aloupis in the 115 race and State Rep. Robert Asencio and his Republican challenger Anthony Rodriguez in 118, as well as Taddeo and Cancio.
Read related: Vance Aloupis fails to mention GOP as required, courting NPAs in general
A week later, they will host Democrat Javier Estevez and Republican Doral Councilwoman Ana Maria Rodriguez, who are running to replace former State Rep. turned Ambassador Carlos Trujillo in District 105, Democrat James Harden and Republican State Rep. Daniel Perez from District 116 and Democrat Heath Rassner, who is running to replace termed-out State Rep. Jeanette Nuñez, who was tapped as LG for Ron Desantis, in District 119.
Juan Fernandez Barquin, the Republican in 119 who beat Analeen “Annie” Martinez, Commissioner Joe Martinez‘s better funded daughter, said he might be out of town, said KFHA President Mike Rosenberg.
KFHA wants to host the congressional candidates from District 26 and 27 on the 25th, but apparently only the incumbent, U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, has confirmed.
Read related: Carlos Curbelo is bad for public education; teachers back Debbie
“We’re still trying to confirm Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and Maria Elvira Salazar, but we’re having a difficult time reaching them,” an email blast said.
Rosenberg told Ladra that Donna Shalala, the Dem running against Salazar to replace Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen in #CD27, is willing and ready to come out any time, but that he has tried multiple times to reach Salazar to no avail.
“Sometimes I have to be beyond the ‘normal’ persistent in reaching out to
candidates,” Rosenberg wrote in an email to Salazar he shared with Ladra. “For some reason there are candidates that don’t want to debate their opponents. I truly don’t understand that, but our forums are not debates, but rather questions. We want to know who you are and what kind of leader you would make. We simply want to ask you questions.
“I will continue to reach out to you as I believe our audience is very engaged and eager to learn. As President of the Kendall Federation, I must try and make sure all the candidates appear. So, forgive my persistence, but I have always believed, if we can’t get you to meet with our community before an election, we’ll never be able to get you afterwards.”
Rosenberg, who said he hasn’t given up on Mucarsel-Powell either, is right about that.
The KFHA meetings are always in the Kendall Village pavilion at that shopping center, 8625 SW 124th Ave.
KFHA candidate forum features Kendall Senate and two state races added by Ladra on
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