New Dem Party chair Dwight Bullard backs Republican

New Dem Party chair Dwight Bullard backs Republican

The new chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party — replacing Annette addeo, who was tapped to be the running mate for former Gov. Charlie Crist in his bid to take back the mansion — is State Sen. Dwight Bullard (D-Cutler Bay). Read related story: Charlie Crist names Annette Taddeo as running mate Bullard is considered […]

Early voting’s big start in slow, boring midterm primary

Early voting’s big start in slow, boring midterm primary

After the fiasco seen at polling sites in 2012, a new and improved early voting system will begin this morning with more days — Miami-Dade is one of three counties in the state offering the maximum two weeks — varied hours and four new locations. After long lines and ridiculous waits at Florida voting precincts […]

Questions linger a year after FBI arrests two mayors

Questions linger a year after FBI arrests two mayors

It came and went without much fanfare — the first anniversary of the arrests of both Miami Lakes Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi and Sweetwater Mayor Manny “Maraña” Maroño in separate snags on the same August day last year and in the same FBI sting — bogus economic development grant approvals for kickbacks. Maroño is serving […]

District 12 race heats up with Goliath beating up on David

District 12 race heats up with Goliath beating up on David

Many 305 political observers thought the only commission race that was going to be fun this year was in District 8 — where incumbent Miami-Dade Commissioner Lynda Bell is facing a real challenge from political neophyte Daniella Levine Cava, who moved into the district just so she could run. But the race in District 12, which […]

Dade judicial attack paid by Delaware biz via Broward PAC

Dade judicial attack paid by Delaware biz via Broward PAC

A negative mailer arrived in some county mailboxes recently calling former Miami-Dade School Board Member and one-time State Rep. Renier Diaz de la Portilla — who is running for Miami-Dade Circuit Court judge — a three-time loser. “Three strikes and you’re out,” the mailer said, referring to Baby DLP’s trifecta of losses against Marta Perez (School Board, […]

Eddy Gonzalez: A tale of two mailers — black and Hispanic

Eddy Gonzalez: A tale of two mailers — black and Hispanic

State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez‘s mailer arrived in Ladra’s mailbox Wednesday, urging me to give him my vote for Miami-Dade Property Appraiser. Also urging me from their smiling photographed faces were Sen. Anitere Flores, Miami Beach Commissioner Jonah “Potty Mouth” Wolfson, State Sens. Oscar Braynon and Dwight Bullard and State Rep. Daphne Campbell. But when my […]

David Rivera’s ‘stealth campaign’ goes round 2

David Rivera’s ‘stealth campaign’ goes round 2

It looks like former Congressman David “Nine Lives” Rivera still has some breath in him as his on-again-off-again campaign is on again. Rivera unleashed a second round of robocalls on Republican absentee voters Monday that, again, poked at the Miami Herald rather than any one of the four other candidates on the Aug. 26 primary […]

Jeb Bush endorsement of Carlos Curbelo is soft, squishy

Jeb Bush endorsement of Carlos Curbelo is soft, squishy

For the second week in a row, Miami-Dade School Board Member Carlos Curbelo brought out a big gun in the primary that he’s suddenly paying attention to, after ignoring it for months, with a reminder of his endorsement from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. But that backing is soft and squishy. Because Bush already sorta apologized […]

Gay Miami GOP activist not bitter about Pam Bondi battles

Gay Miami GOP activist not bitter about Pam Bondi battles

GOP activist Mimi Planas, a community council member in District 10, is getting married in October. The president of the Miami Log Cabin Republicans will have to travel to New Mexico, however, to wed her fiance, Isis Martinez. That’s because the concept of marriage equality still hasn’t taken hold in Florida, where, in fact, the current […]

Non candidate mailer warns of absentee ballot fraud

Non candidate mailer warns of absentee ballot fraud

Our mailboxes this week are stuffed with mailers big and small for candidates from the congressional race in District 26 to county commission contests to municipal matchups to judicial jousts to the battle for the property appraiser’s office. But one mailer stands out — because it does not promote any particular candidate. “Absentee voter fraud […]