Looks like the sla
te of recycled politicians running for office again is a full house in Hialeah: two former mayors and three council campaign veterans makes for a very nice hand. I’ll stay.
So what if they did not drive in together to the Hialeah city council meeting Tuesday? If it looks like a slate, acts like a slate and feels like a slate, it’s a slate. The incumbents are likely going to join forces as well on another slate, but this one is the slate that makes the next three months downright decadent for a political junkie like me. Ladra likes to call them The Back to the Future Five and, yes, I think they should use theme song. The B5s (for short) are led by former mayor and current mayoral candidate Raul Martinez (the boss) and Professor Alex Morales (the brains). Former cop-turned-housing employee Danny Bolaños (the brawn) is the only other original band member. Former councilman and mayor Julio Martinez (the backup), a known boss ally who registered last week to run against councilman Jose Caragol, and former councilwoman Cindy Miel (the beauty) just round out the slate. It was nice to see them all, for what Ladra thinks is the first time this campaign season, at City Hall Tuesday. Because they are a slate.
“What slate? There is no slate,” said Martinez, the boss, who does readily admit to anybody — like anybody needs reminding — that running against Morales or Bolanos would be a bad idea. My words, not his. I think his were “Don’t mess with Alex. Don’t mess with Danny.”
“There is no slate,” the professor is tired of telling me. I explain to him, as the eager student trying to impress, that there is, indeed, a de facto slate, a natural alliance because of their parallel pasts. Although Bolaños is the only one who has not been elected before, he was robbed in that race and his tortu
red Greek tragedy story in the city as son of the revered, longest serving police chief makes him Hialeah nobility and one of them. The Back to the Future Five all talk about the same issues. They are all going to count on an anti-incumbent wave they are all going to fuel. They are likely going to be on the same side of the campaign war as the nasty battles break out. They’re a de facto slate.
“Oh, well, if you want to know whether when I’m campaigning, I will urge people to vote against all the incumbents, the answer is yes, of course,” Morales said. So do I get an A? Wait, let me expound on more evidence.
Everyone talks about “campaign HQ” referring to the storefront on West 49th Street — in that shopping strip space the acting alcaldito had red-tagged for no real reason except political harassment (more on that later) — that was opened up by Morales when Martinez was in Bimini. The other Martinez, who Ladra met at a fundraiser for Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez at Hialeah’s La Carreta, was first mentioned by one of the B5 as a coming-soon candidate to Ladra weeks before he was on anybody’s radar and in exactly the group that Julio Martinez signed up for. And campaign fundraising consultant Irene Secada, who worked on Miel’s past campaigns and put together that fundraiser at La Carreta, was spotted wooing Morales this week at Maruch, which is where the three original band members of the Martinez Municipal Machine regularly meet to practice.
It’s a slate, professor, Mr. Mayor. And, Ladra will venture to say that if the momentum keeps up the way it has so far, it could be a winning hand.
But we still haven’t seen the cards held by mayoral candidate and former State Sen. Rudy Garcia, who could start to stack his own slate and raise the pot with a Frank Lago or a Ramiro Sicre or — does Ladra dare say it? — a Rafael Perez, the popular Hialeah homeboy who lost a bid for state house in May to Jose Oliva. While Perez has only been helping in the Garcia campaign, the qualifying deadline is in September and there could be more surprises.
Maybe a card or two up someone’s sleeve.
Ante up, everybody.
Hialeah slate spotted at City Hall added by Ladra on
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Actually, I see and hear from Rudy quite a bit. He has been working with the sole tenant of the Hialeah Marketplace at the Tri-Rail Station in S.E. Hialeah, just down the street from me. Of course, the smart money is on Martinez to win. Even though I think Rudy has some damn good ideas to revitalize the Eastern Industrial Corridor of Hialeah; I must maintain my neutrality. (Please see my comment above about not pissing off the Powers that will be.)
There have been some negative comments posted on this blog concerning where Rudy has been. Someone had to administer government business on the state level. His state legislative record is quite impressive, even if he is a Republican.
The better question remains, where is Julio? Wouldn't you want to defend your record if suddenly the story morphed from "Economic wonderboy saves Hialeah without raising taxes" to "millions of dollars short, bridge loan required" ? Maybe he is just hoping that unseen will equate with unindicted. If the smart money is correct come election day, I can't wait till
Martinez and Morales ( M & M , hey guys, I named my store after you, what better support could you ask for?)….I can't wait till Martinez and Morales start turning over all the rocks strewn through the City of Hialeah's balance sheet, and see from which rock Robaina crawls out from under.
Rudy missing in action!!!!
El Chino says, That this will be fun, its like family feud and we get to hear all the dirty laundry.
Martinez, I guess got sick of hearing how good the city was without him, it must have been eating at him for the last six years? Fat Ass, life went on and your not as relevant as you thought you were.
Hernandez, you supported Raul for Congress and what did that get you? It has always been about Raul, you should have know that. Now your hated by the Diaz Balarts and the Martinez clan. Dumb Cop.
Morales, are voters suppose to buy that your family is one place and your in another for the love of Hialeah? Clearly you need a money and this screams of sicko politics. Do everyone a favor, go back to Miami Lakes.
Bolanos, come on, your father has become a FB junkie and your brother robs banks, you head looks like it is about to pop and voters don't need you.
Isis, you made this mess and now you will have to deal with it.
Cindy, did Raul try to have you kicked off the council and arrested? Does you father have any shame? Mija stay teaching, this stuff is not for you.
Julio, Where are you? Are you going to speak up?
Lago, your not welcomed by anyone.
Vivian, investigators will soon come knocking. Make you deal.
Folks we need RUDY GARCIA…….but see Julio above.
Allow me:
Raul L Martinez (the DICKTATOR)
Alex Morales (Defede lookalike)
Danny Bolanos (Dr. Steroids)
Julio Martinez (El Frustrated)
Cindy Miel (Queen Gordita)
I am an avid reader of Ladra's blogs, and do try to digest all the political pablum that she spoonfeeds us; still, when I see a whole spectrum of vibrantly colored campaign signs arrayed on a verdant Hialeah lawn; I have no idea who is running against whom. Yes, Hialeah council candidates all run at large, that is, not for a specific district; which almost makes sense in Hialeah. Are the needs of one zone of Hialeah that different from the needs of another? Are the needs of Purgatory that different from those of Limbo, or of the City of Dis, or Satan's residence Cocytus? Yes, an at large system of electing council persons to govern Hell seems workable. It would still be nice to somehow identify one race from another on these beautifully colored campaign posters. Maybe a color coordianted scheme; the red seat…and all those posters in a red theme…a yellow seat( Danny's signs are a beautiful shade of yellow, and Miel's yellow not so vibrant.)..and so on, across the political and visual spectrum.
I wax philosophic on musings of the campaign, and not the candidates; as my memories are strong and indelible, as are those of the candidates. I do not wish to piss off the powers that will be, so I must maintain my neutrality, and not strike my colors. As one of humanity's greatest poets ,Dante, commented, " “The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality” Alas, I am already there.