Miami-Dade Commissioner Juan Zapata drew his first challenger this week 
when a man named Felix Lorenzo filed against him.
And he’s running an anti-incorporation campaign.
Lorenzo, 75, told Ladra that he decided to run so that he could block the incorporation efforts of two areas in District 11 that want to become their own municipalities.
“I disagree with the intent to create two cities in our area. At one time, it was three. Now it’s two. But I don’t see any benefit to have any city in this area,” Lorenzo said.
“I’ve been going to the meetings for two years and I haven’t seen a strong support for it,” Lorenzo said about the community meetings for incorporation. “I decided to run because someone has to do something,” he said. “Many other people are too busy. I decided to take my chances.”
Lorenzo retired from pharmaceutical sales in September. He also has a realtor’s license. He ad his wife, Aleida — who is also now his treasurer — owned a company called Designa Inc., until they closed it in 2011. He filed the first paperwork — designating a campaign account and treasurer — on Monday.
Some sources believe he’s a plant, coerced to run against Zapata by someone else (read: State Rep. Frank Artiles, Zap’s longtime nemesis).
But it might very well be a three-way race. Rumors abound that the wife of former Miami-Dade Chairman Joe Martinez, who represented the same district before he ran for mayor unsuccessfully inn 2012, is going to pull a Hillary and jump into the ring.
Didn’t work for Teresa Sarnoff, wife of former Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, in Miami. But it worked for Mickey Steinberg, wife of former State Rep. Richard “Sext Me” Steinberg in Miami Beach. So who knows how that may play out in District 11.
Zapata raised just over $26,000 in November, bringing his total to $29,500.
Juan Zapata draws anti incorporation challenger for 2016 added by Ladra on
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