Kristen Rosen Gonzalez wins in Miami Beach race

Kristen Rosen Gonzalez wins in Miami Beach race
  • Sumo

UPDATED: There is a God. And he smiled on Miami Beach Tuesday.

Kristen Rosen Gonzalez was elected to the city commissionkristenrosen against a much better financed candidate who was propped up by Mayor Philip Levine, who had already won commission races for two cronies.

Despite being outspent at least 3 to 1, Rosen Gonzalez won with 59 percent of  the vote compared to Betsy Perez‘s 41 percent.

Supporters of the independent Rosen Gonzalez started to breathe easier after the absentee ballots were counted and she led 55% to 45%. She led in ABs in the first round, too. A scant 142 votes stood between them in ABs Tuesday.

That number grew to 390 when the early voting ballots were counted betsykristenand Rosen Gonzalez pulled ahead to 56.5% of the vote.

And then the Election Day numbers came in and the margin grew to almost 20 points and almost 840 votes.

“It was hard work and a collective effort,” Rosen Gonzalez told Ladra Tuesday night. “So many people came together to help me, to say to Levine and company that enough is enough.

“I am so grateful to everybody.”

Read related story: In Miami Beach, one last gasp for checks and balances

Turnout was less than half what it was in the first round and this means that Rosen’s supporters were more motivated than Perez’s — or Levine’s, actually.

Perez would have made a superfecta for the mayor, who got re-elected and was able to help two of his candidates — Ricky Arriola and John Elizabeth Aleman — elected Nov. 3. He already has two others on the stacked dais: Commissioners Michael Grieco and Joy Malakoff. All of them share one common denominator and that is their campaign consultant, David Custin, who has become a very successful lobbyist in Miami Beach since electing Malakoff and Levine two years ago.

Perez would have been the cherry on top.

Instead, Rosen Gonzalez has tolevinecustin stick like a thorn in Levine’s side and in Custin’s throat. Especially since the Dis-Custin consultant had the nerve to threaten the would-be candidate when she announced she was going to file.

The victory is especially sweet for the candidate — and sour for Levine and Custin — seeing as how Perez spent at least $238,600 — including $114,000 she raised in the last two weeks since the first round. That’s almost three times the $82,500 spent by Rosen Gonzalez. And that’s just as of the latest campaign reports filed Nov. 12. And that’s just the campaigns. Perez has at least two PACs helping her with another $200K.

If she spent just $400,000 on the 1,911 votes she got — and Ladra suspects Perez (read: Custin and Levine and the special interests behind them) spent much more than that — then it came to  $209 a vote. I think that might be a record.

Read related story: Betsy Perez backed by Miami Beach special interests PACs

When you blow that kind of dough, there’s going to be some hard feelings. And there’s going to be an awkward start for Rosen Gonzalez, naturally. Commissioners Micky Steinberg and Joy Malakoff went by the victory party Tuesday night to stretch out an olive branch after the voters had spoken. And even though Perez had not called late into the night, Mayor Levine sent a text congratulating Rosen Gonzalez and saying he looked forward to working with her. But there’s going to be a period of adjustment. I mean, these are the same people who marginalized and slandered her and who were blasting her in emails only hours earlier.

Already a politician or public servant, you choose, Rosen Gonzalez said she can work with anybody as long as they have the same interest at heart — and that is the city of Miami Beach.

“It’s not about their ego or my ego, I have to do what’s best for everybody who voted for me,” Rosen Gonzalez said. “So many residents have already reached out to me with their concerns that I think I’m going to be busy fielding concerns for a while.”

Because, finally, people in Miami Beach have someone to go to.

14 Responses to "Kristen Rosen Gonzalez wins in Miami Beach race"

  1. Someone should explain to josephine manning that samuelian really lives in Ohio n that is why people didnt come out for him.

  2. Have been disenchanted with Levine & Co. for a very long time…starting, I think with that embarrassing display — that strident strutting on stage — at the Centennial Party. It was all HIS party, in my opinion, not Miami Beach’s party.

    Then the PAC scandal with Commissioner Wolfson; and trying to shut down Commissioner Weithorn’s motion at that infamous meeting where Robert’s Rules of Order were so soundly dissed; and the nastiest cut of all, foisting a commission candidate upon the electorate who was so clearly not qualified for the position. That last was so freaking insulting! Showed, in my opinion, an utter contempt for us all 🙁 Unacceptable.

  3. Word is that FDLE has opened a criminal investigation into the RFP P.A.C. Deede Weithorn cooperated with them already & turned over docs to aid them in their probe.

  4. Ok, the word is mike grieco is getting nervous if Levine dumps City Hall for a Congressional bid after re-districting he’ll be exposed with a sugar daddy n might be trimming his sails to look independent of Custin who the wealthy Jews at the MB Chamber of Commerce loathe. But Grieco knows he Micky n Kristen still are three votes against Lwvine Malakoff Aleman n Arriola. Arriola is the guy to watch as he has money but has both business and political ambitions. If Levine or Custin are tied to a scandal he could be the fourth vote to destroy the Levine Custin Wolfson Scott Robins junta of hungry wolves. It was unfortunate North Beach Jewry cant find a successful lawyer or businessman to run as they have had a run of ethically challenged weaklings since 1997. Maybe someone can kick victor diaz in the tuckus to take on second rate michael grieco. You need an intelligent wealthy upright Jewish lady – yes I said lady nit woman – to run against Joy Malakoff. As for Levine let him stay as mayor with a hostile City Commission – let him suffer! It builds character – sonething he lacks so much! And he’ll have to listen to Frank Delvecchio – cruel n unusual punishment!

  5. I was finally sound asleep last night knowing we have a hawk in the City Commission… And to Mayor “Ego”, we are watching you now more than ever… Hurry up and move to DC as soon as possible!!!

  6. Ladra – thanks for all your good work — Kristen — Good Luck! it’s going to be an uphill road. my husband and i voted for you (at Rebecca Towers) and i got a kick out of the fact that when we walked over, there were 6 supporters holding “Perez” signs and only 1 holding “Gonzalez”. i told my husband that’s probably the exact proportion of the money being spent by each of the two candidates!
    I honestly felt that Kristen was going to win, because of precisely the fact that those of us who were actually aware of the stakes were more determined to get out the vote. we’ve told everyone we could reach, including sending out a newsflash to about 200 residents.
    JO — please tell me what’s happening with Rebecca Towers. i’ve heard rumors and reached out to the mayor, com grieco, & robert Christoff – got no answers.

    Congratulations Kristen – i don’t know what the next 2 years hold for us, i don’t expect you’ll be able to do much – but maybe, just maybe by your being up there & constantly bringing light to the murky waters of our local government, the voters may actually vote a couple more dissenters to the commish next time around! thanks for running and winning.
    —Heidi Calvin

    • Hi there, Heidi! So happy you voted for the qualified candidate in this race! I was at the polls for Kristen, too. I saw the shenanigans from the Perez camp firsthand and it saddened me. It was galling to see the firefighters there 🙁 By the way, the ones I spoke to did not even live/vote here, fyi! When I confronted them, a spokesman said that what they were doing was “not political”. What is it, then, I asked? No answer.

      I feel so bad for Mark Samuelian — he would have made a great commissioner — but I guess nasty campaigning wins, or else, why do it? He ran a clean, decent campaign, to his and his campaign manager’s great credit. I hope he runs again!

      I have very strong negative vibes about what will happen to Rebecca Towers. I do not think those buildings are long for this world. I will call and/or email you my thoughts.

      But, right now, let us enjoy this victory! She worked very hard and had excellent support from our community, in the face of the huge and scary money machine that determined to take her down. She showed what she was made of and won my vote!

  7. Kristen was tireless during the campaign. But, Politics doesn’t sound as though it would be appealing to an English Professor. She may come to regret the nasty politics and dirty games on the Commission.

    However, she has already withstood the attacks from the nastiest campaign consultant in Florida, David Custin. This guy is disgusting the way he runs elections. But, what alternatives do we have in Miami Dade? Freddy Balsera?

    Kristen, luv ya and best of luck. I hope you take away million$ away from Levine in his backroom deals with developers.

  8. So many heroes in this story! Those of us — ordinary people sickened by what was going on in Miami Beach — and vilified as “a minority…[who]…yelled and screamed..” Well, who’s the minority now, and who’s doing the yelling and screaming, folks?

    Please, everyone, get behind Kristen. She and Micky Steinberg are our best hopes on this so-tainted City Commission.

    I want to shout out to all the people who came together for Kristen — people who care about this city and what happens to it — and are not in the thrall of over-developers and PACs.

    Now stay tuned for what happens to Rebecca Towers…that story is not over.

    Congratulations, Kristen! You worked so hard for this…and for US!!!

  9. Ladra, I may be Jewish but visit St Peters often as an ancestor was Polish Ambassador there in the 17th century. There are a lot of Saints in Vatican City but few did as good a mitzvah for good government as you have done helping a class act sit on the Miami Beach City Commission! Now who will be indicted first? Custin?Levine?Jonah Wolfson? Scott Robins?Jimmie Morales? You know its Daoud on steroids now n lets see how they try to spprove upzoning Ocean Terrace for the Russian Oligarch’s kid brother’s “front”? Or maybe theyll pull down Rebbecca Towers first? Good luck to Kristen Rosen Gonzalez in trying to keep Levine & Co from totally destroying Miami Beach

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