It may seem unbelievable, but 1,571 people in Miami voted for a man who stands accused of public corruption charges like bribery and money laundering and unlawful compensation from abusing the very position they want to put him back into.
What are these people smoking?
Former commissioner (because he was suspended by the governor after being arrested) Alex Diaz de la Portilla got the majority of the vote with 37% of the District 1 voters choosing him. He won in all three categories — vote by mail, early voting and Election Day. Auto parts dealer Miguel Gabela, who has ran for this seat twice before and forced ADLP into a runoff in 2019, will have a rematch after getting 29% on Tuesday.
Neither Diaz de la Portilla or Gabela returned calls to Political Cortadito.
Read related: Miami D1 race could become rematch for suspended, arrested commissioner
Mercedes “Merci” Rodriguez came in third with 22%, as predicted in a poll that Political Cortadito wrote about recently. The other two candidates, Marvin Tapia and Frank Pichel, got single digit support.
But most of those votes were protest votes against ADLP and should go to Gabela in the Nov. 21 runoff.
In District 2, incumbent Commissioner Sabina Covo got 39% of the vote, sending her to a runoff against banker and human rights activist Damian Pardo, who got 26. Lawyer Eddy Leal, the former counsel to Mayor Francis Suarez, got 15%, and James Torres, president of the Downtown Neighbors Alliance, got 10%. The rest of the clown car got single digit support.
Read related: Miami District 2 race pits short term incumbent vs seven other wannabes
“This is a seat that really hasn’t made a difference in a long time,” Pardo said. “The residents know their interests are not being served and they want a change.”
Pardo says that Covo ran on fighting corruption and has done nada. “What she’s done is fit in,” he said.
Late Tuesday, he had still not talked to the other candidates. But he does expect support from Torres and Leal.
Read related: Eviction lies in Miami District 1 race are rebuffed by woman in campaign ad
“I have a good relationship with both of them and I’m sure we’re going to be talking,” Pardo said.
In the third race in District 4, Commissioner Manolo Reyes — who just announced he has cancer — won with 86% of the vote against Andres Vallina, who didn’t really campaign.
The runoff is Nov. 21.
Miami incumbents hold on in election; District 1 and 2 races end in runoffs added by Ladra on
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” Imagine a candidate that doesn’t know the pledge of allegiance and touts a Colombian flag”
Few years back I told a neighbor that I long for the day there aren’t any Cuban politicos holding office in Miami .
My neighbor who is Venezuelan said ” Jose mira que eres clueless porque if you think South and Central American politicians are any better , any different you are removed from all reality ”.
Those were his exact words as found them terrifying and they still haunt me , lol.
Covo voted to kill the beloved Allen Morris Park. That pocket park is beloved by neighbors BUT idiot City officials keep it fenced off and now they want to KILL it. Covo is an idiot.
Que pena. District 2 should have elected Eddy Leal. This city is a disgrace.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
And to the Republic for which it stands
One nation, under God
Indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
Guess which candidate needs this….
Imagine a candidate that doesn’t know the pledge of allegiance and touts a Colombian flag. That’s how LOW the standards have become. You get what you vote for, so don’t complain about the rest.
Pardo is a reasonable guy. He has good intentions and when I met with him he seemed like an honest and straightforward guy. I think his heart is in the right place. I found Covo to be very deceptive with her campaign ads and false advertising about Allen Morris Park and fighting corruption.
PARDO for D2.
Covo was either duped by the City Attorney and sleazy lobbyists helping Allen Morris, Jr. or Covo is totally corrupt BUT Covo endorsed the destruction of the only park near South Miami Avenue surrounded by 70,000 D2 residents ie Allen Morris Park. Yup. Allen Morris Park is being demolished AND up zoned to T-48. And Covo pushed that scam! Please vote for the other dude.
is marijuana legal it seems like all Trump loyalist like criminals those 1571 voters like a criminal to represent them.Honestly I am living in a mindless city that if you are not a criminal you can not represent them.
Damian Pardo v Covo “the pro corruption candidate”. Covo the “go along to get along” candidate.
Would we be residents of South America, we would be obliged to cast our vote, with the exceptions, of Colombia and Venezuela. It’s so in the Dem. Rep. Of Congo , and Egypt.
Covo ran a negative campaign full of falsehoods about opponents. She has achieved nothing, is on public record saying the race should be non-partisan,and then touts endorsement by the Democratic party. She is consistently rolled by Corollo and ADLP. She gave away Allen Morris park to development and included development in affordable house in Village West, despite 100% opposition. Her claim to have fought corruption is laughable, voting in lock-step with our crooks on the commision. I am more than dissapointed with her performance.
Esto es increible! What is wrong with this picture????