Like Commissioner Francis Suarez — who seemed to be losing steam in his mayoral campaign anyway — needed this.
Could the charges filed against his election team Thursday be the straw that broke the campaign’s back? His “The Future is Now” campaign is beginning to sound a little like “The End is Near.”
First, Suarez — who has mounted a million dollar campaign against incumbent Mayor Tomas Regalado — sends 
out a boneheaded mailer that seized on the political value of a graffiti artist being needlessly killed by police (You’re getting some bad campaign advice, bro. It didn’t win you many votes and only served to piss off the cops).
Then he is forced to flip flop and fire a silly staffer for her inappropriate yet tontica tweet — which is nothing in comparison to what some of the mayor’s staff has done. Anyone remember Ada Rojas‘ little 2010 stunt with the presidential motorcade? Regalado’s special events coordinator was arrested for blocking traffic and refusing to move when an officer ordered her to — twice. He also smelled alcohol on her breath but probably didn’t add on DUI charges to keep relations cool between the mayor and the police union. Well, Rojas still works at the city. In fact, I bet she got a raise from her then salary of $69,200 a year. New Times very correctly pointed out last week that the Miami Herald has made a big deal of $31,000-a-year Suarez aide Christina Haramboure’s twitter feed while ignoring the Rojas story in 2010 (read: Regalado has many media friends).
Thursday, Suarez got slapped with another major blow to his campaign when two of his campaign staffers plead to misdemeanor charges of illegally submitting absentee ballot requests online. Both Stevie Suarez — his cousin and also brother-in-law to former State Rep. Marcelo Llorente, whose little brother is the commissioner’s chief of staff (you need a freaking flow chart for these people) — and Juan Pablo Baggini entered into plea arrangements with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office after they investigated the sending of somewhere around 20 AB requests — that voters had legitimately requested on paper at an event — online. Sure, it’s technically breaking the law. But was there intent?
Doesn’t matter. Many are saying this is the proverbial nail in his political coffin.
Suarez, whose father, now Miami-Dade Commissioner Mayor Sir Xavier Suarez was the first Cuban mayor of Miami, is going to have a hard time escaping from these headlines. Especially since there is family history here: Papi X was later unseated by a judge who found evidence of widespread absentee ballot fraud in the 1997 election.
I can see the mailers being designed now in a smoky Little Havana Florida room by former Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla: “Like father, like son,” reads the bold reverse type superimposed over the worst pictures of father and son he can find. Who cares if the similarities are tiny and the story is not all black and white. It makes for a great attack piece!
Ladra is not happy that this seemingly stupid yet unintentional violation by inexperienced and moronic campaign workers takes center stage and is pursued more aggressively by prosecutors than the malicious and very intentional outright theft of absentee ballot votes that happens in Hialeah, with the blessing and supervision of elected officials. This investigation started in June, and it’s over. That investigation started more than a year ago and there is no resolution in sight.
But I guess those cases take more work on the part of the State Attorney’s Office.
Ladra feels also sort of sorry for Suarez. I so wish Baby X had gotten better advice. I think he’s been dedicating too much time and focus in the wrong areas (read: young vote) and not enough in the others.
It’s unfortunate for a young, fresh, energetic political protege, who seemed at one point the promising young Miami son poised for the mayor’s seat — eventually. Suarez, who ignored advice from some to serve out his time and wait for Regalado to retire after this next term, would have been the definite front run
ner then, even if the mayor’s daughter and campaign manager, School Board Member Raquel Regalado, would run as many malas lenguas say.
Now, he may just have to do that. Ladra has heard from people close to him and supporters that Suarez — who raised more than $1 million for his effort — may drop out of the race to save face. Many observers say he was going to lose anyway — in a tight race before all this drama started — and that it will be less tight now because he cannot recover from this.
Some supporters hope he stays in it and think he still has a chance.
“Worse things have happened to people who still won,” said one young gun Republican who hopes Suarez stays in it. “I don’t see what pulling out would accomplish…except maybe getting him to stay in the Commission seat. I don’t think any of this is a reflection on Francis and I’m still supporting him.”
Suarez was unreachable Friday morning, but sources close to him say he is considering pulling out and staying in his safe seat til the storm dies down.
“It’s over,” said one supporter, shaking his head in dismay.
“He’s cooked,” said a friend, one of the few who answered the phone when Ladra called late Thursday night.
“It is impossible to come back from this,” said a political observer.
Well, wait! C’mon! Nothing’s impossible. This is Miami. And there is still a little more than two months left ’til election day. Regalado could step in it. He has before, what with the bribing of the police chief, trying to make maquinitas legal, hiding donations from foreign countries…maybe one of his aides will get drunk and make a public spectacle. Who knows?
Because, at this point, only something like that will save Suarez from himself.
Francis Suarez: Too many blows may bend Baby X to bow out added by Ladra on
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