In the three days after Miami Commissioner Francis Suarez announced — very ceremoniously since it was no surprise to anyone — that he would run for mayor, three candidates filed to run for commission in his place.
But the first was the heir apparent: Ralph Rosado, a non-profit director and one-time House candidate who has been patiently waiting for another opening after losing against State Rep. Michael Bileca in a crowded GOP primary in 2010 — which included Ana Alliegro, who has since disappeared after consulting for former U.S. Rep. David Rivera, and Marcus Rivchin, who later ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Congress in 2012. Rosado took about 24 hours to file after Suarez filed for mayor and admitted to Ladra Thursday he had been chomping at the bit.
“It was the worst kept secret,” Rosado said about the Suarez mayoral bid. “He was expected to announce in January so I had my paperwork ready in December. I thought maybe it would be Jan. 2, Jan. 3.”
It was Jan. 15. Rosado filed Jan. 16. He had to hold back from filing the same day. “Wouldn’t look right,” he told me.
“I wanted to be the first one in the gate,” he said, about what is expected to be another crowded field for him, with already three other candidates on board and possibly more jumping into this window of incumbentless opportunity. Day two, Jan. 17, saw Denis Rod file for the seat. Day three, Jan. 18, saw Andres “Andy” Vallina put his hat in We’re just waiting for perennial candidate Manuel Reyes to file … ooops, Reyes filed Wednesday. Wonder what took him so long.
But Rosado seems to be the front running heir apparent. Is it too crass to call it already? Besides sharing the same treasurer as Suarez in Jose Riesco, who seems to have a corner on the treasurer market, Rosado seems to share many of the same friends, some of whom are having four fundraisers for him in the next month or so.
He kicked off his campaign with a bang Thursday night at Coral Way’s Habana Vieja Restaurant with about two dozen friends and supporters — which included some notable guests such as Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s daughter-in-law Barbara Rodriguez Gimenez, a campaign groupie, and the mayor’s good friend and campaign chofer, even though he hates it when we call him that, Ralph Garcia Toledo. Second time I see them this week, which is an odd coincidence (more on that later). Also there: Political pollster and strategist Fernand Amandi, Miami Lakes Councilman Nelson Hernandez and former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, who apparently feels strongly enough about Rosado to take a break from campaigning for Florida governor.
Yeah, yeah, he can hem and haw and say he’s just “thinking about it.” He already has people who are going to put me on a mailing list and send me his book. Apparently, that’s what politicians do now, write a book or three (more on that later). And he just looks like he’s running.
“He has vision. He is a planner,” Diaz said about Rosado. “He can bring to Miami the kind of forward thinking we need.”
He also plans to support Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones and, naturally, Francis Suarez’s mayoral bid against Mayor Tomas Regalado.
“I love the youth,” Diaz told Ladra. “I like Francis. I had an opportunity to talk to him. He listens. He has a passion for the city. He fits the profile. He’s not looking back, but looking forward.”
Rosado will not go out on that limb.
“I have no dog in that race,” he said about the mayoral contest. “I’m confident that whoever the next mayor is, I can work with him.”
Of course, he might be stumping for a vote or two.
“They both live in my district.”
Ex Mayor Manny Diaz backs Rosado, Suarez in Miami races added by Ladra on
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