Loyal readers of Political Cortadito have come to expect our “winners and losers” post in the wake of every local election, highlighting those people and entities who scored or got hammered, other than the candidates.
After the April 8 re-election in Coral Gables of Mayor Vince Lago and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, there were already some obvious winners and losers. But it was only safe to wait until after the runoff, where Lago got his handpicked candidate, Richard Lara, over the finish line, to be sure. And thorough.
Read related: Vince Lago scores with Richard Lara’s Coral Gables commission runoff win
So, without any further blah, blah, blah, the winners and losers from this year’s biannual Coral Gables election are:
WINNERS
- Jesse Manzano and Brian Goldmeier, Lago’s campaign manager and professional fundraiser. These two have another notch on their belt and a fatter bank account to show for it. Manzano overcame some heavy negatives with consistent messaging about how bad Commissioner Kirk Menendez would be because of the decisions he’s made in the past (raises, city managers, November vote, etc.). It was brilliant. Evil, but brilliant. Goldmeier is just richer.
- The sick anonymous trolls who like to attack on Lago’s behalf with vulgar language and inappropriate images on social media. They have been having a field day.
- Developers, real estate investors and construction industry people who donated to the Lago and Lara campaigns like it was buying precious eggs, and now stand to benefit from a consolidated 3-2 vote that seems development friendly.
- Chelsea Granell, the mayor’s chief of staff of none, who gets to keep her job and her $91,165 annual salary plus benefits.
- Former Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, a Lago supporter, who is likely to tell people that he was the one who got the mayor and his slate elected. Some may have heard he had breakfast recently with Manzano, so they’ll believe it.
LOSERS
- The Coral Gables Fraternal Order of Police and firefighters unions and the rank and file, too, who will be retaliated against. Members, who supported Menendez and architect Felix Pardo against Anderson, must be shaking in their boots right now. Las malas lenguas say that Lago had told them to watch out if he wins. He is a vengeful guy. There might be many cops and firefighters dusting off their resumés Wednesday.
- Commissioners Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez, who are going to be on the losing side of the 3-2 vote now. But
that’s not as bad as the constant ribbing and rubbing-in-the-face they’re going to get from Lago and Anderson. Send them Excedrin. They’re going to need it. - Opponents of the annexation of Little Gables. Neither Lago nor Anderson would commit to leaving this unincorporated Miami-Dade enclave on the northern border alone after the City Beautiful’s voters rejected the proposed annexation — which would cost the city $23 million just for the first five years — by a 63% vote. Lago, particularly, has been obsessed with this idea, and it could have something to do with the fact that his brother was once the lobbyist for the owner of the trailer park, which is the neighborhood’s largest property and the potential site of a future Gables Moorish Village.
- The Coral Gables Neighborhood Association, which had endorsed and supported three losing candidates, Menendez, Pardo and Tom Wells against Lara. This is a stark contrast to the 2023 election, when both of the commission candidates the group endorsed were elected against much better funded candidates that were also backed by Mayor Lago.
- The Coral Gables Democratic Club, who helped Wells — knocking on doors, delivering palm cards calling voters — even though it was a non partisan race.
Did I forget anybody? Please feel free to add them in the comments below.
Some might think that Ladra loses also, but they would be wrong. While it is true that Political Cortadito advocated against the incumbents and their handpicked puppet vote, this doesn’t hurt the blog. If anything, now there is more reason to keep a watchdog’s eye on the commission and their actions because there will probably be some really good stories coming. I’m excited.
Maybe Ladra should be listed as a winner. She doesn’t live in Coral Gables.
The Coral Gables commission is going to need as much scrutiny as ever, now that the mayor has a three-vote majority and the power shifts. Keep Ladra on top of the City Beautiful’s government with a contribution to independent watchdog journalism today. Thank you for your support!
Ladra’s traditional winners and losers from the 2025 Coral Gables election added by Ladra on
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The residents of Coral gables lost when Lago was re-elected. Just ask some that saw him speak the day after the runoff – all about “I am this, I did this”. He is all about himself and no one else. Thankfully, the investigations will continue and you will see him for who he is.
Lago should immediately fire the city manager and city attorney. He should also immediately cut these idiots salaries to $20,000/year and take away their car allowances and office budgets. Watch them quit on the spot.
@Quien, Let’s see whether the Lago-Anderson-Lara faction vote to reduce the pay back to the prior amounts. My guess is they won’t. I haven’t heard they turned down the increase. They quietly accepted it. Furthermore L-A-L don’t need that pay increase because they are accepting thousands under the table from developers. Civility? You bet we will see that as L-A-L will all hold hands and vote together to turn our city over to the developers on a silver platter.
We’d lose either way. Both sides will continue to overdevelop the city beautiful. This was a lose/lose election, two slimeballs no one can trust. The guy who gives himself raises vs the guy who raises skyscrapers.
Sadly the last ten years have seen an influx of gables residents who seem to want to live in Brickell. Maybe they got priced out by the texan and californian billionaire chuds moving here.
Looking forward to setting back Commissioners salaries & NO car allowances. November elections and lower taxes!!
THANKS TO THOSE WHO VOTED FOR CIVILITY IN CG!!!
Super Voter:
It’s definitely a mistake to say the 2025 winners are smeared with dirt!
The truth is they are smeared with shit.
Whoops, can I say that here???
Yep, I guess I did.
Watch out that you and those who voted/paid their way in don’t get some of that smeared on themselves too.
The HUGE loser…the City of Coral Gables.
Man, this sucks
You’ve been a winner since Lyin’ Lago had to shout you out in a public press release. Keep barking, Ladra.
WE, the people of Coral Gables spoke not the developers! We voted for civility, transparency, and accountability. We voted against hidden agenda items, pay raises, firing and hiring city managers at will without input from the community and without searching for the best candidate. We voted for elections to be moved from April to November, not only to save money, but to increase the number of participants. We voted for a reduction in taxes. And WE won. So, now let’s move forward and let’s find more constructive ways to spend our time and energy. I’ve lived in Coral Gables for almost 40 years and we’ve never had a turn out like we had this year. The people spoke and now it’s time to turn the page and move forward.
Developer friendly candidates won and Coral Gables residents lost. Get ready for Lago, Lara and all the developers that backed them massively to have a field day in the Gables. if you thought over development was an issue in the Gables before, you haven’t seen anything yet.
Million dollars to elect Lago and Lara? Town is bought and sold.
God’s speed!
Developer backed candidates won. If you don’t think money matters, why do the developers give so much? Of course it matters. The pay raise was so minimal. The high priced spin doctors paid by the developer candidates were very successful in convincing residents who don’t know the details that $65k with a $0.7K car allowance is somehow draining the city coffers. The pay increase allows people who are not paid by monied interests or who are not independently wealthy to serve. Be prepared to see massive luxury construction projects requesting zoning changes sail through commission approval. These projects do nothing to increase needed middle class housing in this city. Rather they are vacation homes for the global wealthy. The character of our green oasis will be changed to a Brickell-like congested heat island.
As a super voter, I felt tricked by voting for Ariel and Melissa. They behaved with poor decorum at multiple city commission meetings and obviously became power hungry and domineering. How their followers believe that pushing through a pay increase without public comment or process is a good thing means allowing electeds operate like an out-of-control roller coaster. I find it strange that this blog endorses the hiring of a city manager without vetting, which was obviously a gift for a friend. A friend who was not qualified but took lots of city $ for the months of service before quitting. It’s one-sided to point to the April 2025 winners as if they are smeared with dirt when you discount how these two have acted with uncontrolled viciousness in the last two years.
Losers: the democratic process.
Less than 8k people voted. That’s under 25% turnout. Deplorable.
You will now have plenty more graf/corruption to report on in Coral Gables. Keep following the money.
It was an election with record turnaround for a runoff decision. The true winners were the Coral Gables residents, who had their voice heard. It is time for our commissioners to decide for what residents care, and not for what themselves care.
Now Coral Gables can turn into Brickell West.
Not bad for the new Beverly Hills.
The trailer park in Little Gables is ripe for redevelopment!
You missed a BIG loser… Maria Cruz!
Your graciousness in defeat is truly inspiring.