Miami Beach poll: Hispanic voters reject mayor and pals

Miami Beach poll: Hispanic voters reject mayor and pals

There are still a whole lot of voters who are undecided about who to pick in the Nov. 2 Miami Beach election. But among those who are, Mayor Philip Levine holds a tiny two point edge over opponent David Wieder. Except with Spanish speakers, who apparently prefer Wieder to the incumbent. These are the findings […]

Miami Beach: Mark Samuelian scores key endorsements

Miami Beach: Mark Samuelian scores key endorsements

Miami Beach Commission candidate Mark Samuelian is on a roll. After getting the coveted endorsement of longtime city activists Frank and Marian DelVecchio, Samuelian announced Saturday that he also had the support of former Commissioner and preservation hero Nancy Liebman. The campaign sent an email Saturday from Liebman, who served from 1993 to 2001, is a […]

Desperation surges with tide of ABs in Miami Beach elections

Desperation surges with tide of ABs in Miami Beach elections

Absentee ballots dropped in Miami Beach this week and that means that the temperature has gone up in the four races that could effectively put a new majority on the city commission. The candidates know this. And Mayor Philip Levine and his slate of pocket rubber stampers have been desperately trying to cling on to […]

First Democratic debate may sedate more than exhilirate

First Democratic debate may sedate more than exhilirate

Don’t expect the first Democratic presidential debate Tuesday night to light a match to the two GOP grudge matches that have already come and gone and gained record ratings for Fox and CNN. Hillary Clinton is just not as entertaining as Donald Trump. And Bernie Sanders isn’t quite as fiery a speaker as Marco Rubio. […]

Rep. Carlos Trujillo draws protests over anti-immigrant bill

Rep. Carlos Trujillo draws protests over anti-immigrant bill

Immigrant rights groups are not only angry that there is new legislation in Tallahassee that would make it a felony for illegal immigrants to stay in Florida after they get deportation orders. They are also upset that the bill’s champion is a Cuban-American from Miami. And they are comparing Rep. Carlos Trujillo (R-Doral) to GOP […]

End county baggage wrap monopoly, end conflict

End county baggage wrap monopoly, end conflict

If we are to believe the mayor or commissioners of Miami-Dade County, baggage wrap plastic is going to bring Miami International Airport down. Mayor Carlos Gimenez thinks that any regulations of baggage wrap are “ludicrous” and agrees with MDAD Director Emilio Gonzalez that it will make MIA the laughing stock of the aviation world to […]

Xavier Suarez sounds like a candidate at anticlimactic dinner

Xavier Suarez sounds like a candidate at anticlimactic dinner

Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suarez had his big fundraiser dinner shindig Saturday night and — while he was surrounded by friends and fans, including a contingency from the PBA — did not announce anything about a highly anticipated potential run for county mayor. People left shaking their heads knowing only that Suarez might run someday for […]

David Custin left two commissioners off lobbying reports

David Custin left two commissioners off lobbying reports

Miami Beach campaign consultant and lobbyist David Custin is raking in the bucks representing vendors and developers with business deals before the very same people he helped get elected. It’s nice work if you can get it. It also smacks of influence. If you put people in office it stands to reason they owe you. […]

Carlos Curbelo’s legacy in first term: Nod to cruise industry

Carlos Curbelo’s legacy in first term: Nod to cruise industry

Immigration reform. The federal deficit. Isis and international terrorism. The Iran deal. U.S.-Cuba relations. Racism. Wage issues, unemployment and inflation. Taxes. Corporate corruption. Healthcare and medical research. The war on drugs and medical marijuana. Education. Poverty and hunger. Social Security. National security. The environment. Gun control, crime and violence.  Whew. Our nation is facing some serious […]

Xavier Suarez: Still ‘not a candidate’ at Saturday’s big shindig

Xavier Suarez: Still ‘not a candidate’ at Saturday’s big shindig

Somehow, the rumor got started that Miami-Dade Commissioner Xavier Suarez would make an announcement at his big annual fundraiser Saturday about whether or not he will run for mayor. Maybe it was the message sent to journalists on Friday by lobbyist Christopher Norwood that said Suarez was “seeking Re-Election to his County Commission Seat, but […]