Gonzalez exits mayor’s race–for now

Though he has been a non candidate for weeks, State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez formally dropped out of the Hialeah mayoral race Thursday with a statement on his facebook page that took a swipe at the interim incumbent running for re-election. What it didn’t say is that Gonzalez still plans to run for the seat — […]

First slates, now staffs stiffen up

Campaign teams are forming as paid political operatives attach themselves to candidates and slates in the upcoming Hialeah elections. Most recently, interim alcaldito Carlos Hernandez and Council President Isis “Gavelgirl” Garcia-Martinez were spotted at a Starbuck’s on West 49th Street Thursday morning with absentee ballot queen Sasha Tirador and gypsy con artist and Tiradorita-in-Training Vanessa […]

Hialeah slate spotted at City Hall

Looks like the slate 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, […]

AB queen prowls for new job

Hialeah’s city council meetings are not only wonderful classes on city history and political plotting, they also provide us with little unexpected treats that may shed light on upcoming elections. Imagine Ladra’s delight surprise to find campaign consultant and absentee ballot queen extraordinaire Sasha Tirador — who couldn’t get former Hialeah mayor Julio Robaina the […]

Lago officially joins Hialeah race

Frank Lago, the chief of staff to Sweetwater Mayor Manny Maroño, has officially filed to run for Hialeah council — challenging the weakest of the council members on the dais. That is, if Paul Henrnadez — appointed two months ago to fill the vacancy created when the council president was appointed mayor — even runs. […]

Morales’ Sweet Home Hialeah

Yes, people of Hialeah: Former city councilman and current candidate Alex Morales is your neighbor. He moved back into the city last August, traded his half million Miami Lakes house with a yard and a wife for a one-bedroom apartment across from Tinta Latina Tattoo Studio and next to an abandoned foreclosed office building where […]

Candidate spending too early?

One of the people with eyes on the dais at Hialeah City Hall is a former veteran water department employee who has been campaigning and had a pretty big, volunteer t-shirted team and a banner at the city’s Fourth of July celebration earlier this month. But how did Daisy Castellanos pay for those yellow shirts […]

Poll gives Raul lead, Carlos hope

A poll commissioned by a new candidate in the Hialeah city council race gives former Mayor Raul Martinez quite a comfortable lead over anybody else. No big surprise there. As the city’s mayor for almost three decades, Martinez is king of name recognition, the top brand. No big surprise either that the lead is 16 […]

Impasse part of campaign game

An anticlimactic impasse declared by Hialeah city officials on the fire union explains some seemingly out-of-nowhere machinations by intern mayor and opportunist bully pulpit candidate Carlos Hernandez, who falsely fingered the firefighters Friday at a staged press conference that should have had a paid political advertisement disclaimer. The city declared impasse about two hours after […]

‘New’ known name in Hialeah race

If at first you don’t succeed, don’t waste the name recognition and run again. That’s a life lesson apparently learned and, now, applied by Frank Lago, chief of staff to Sweetwater Mayor Manuel Maroño, who just took a stab at a state rep seat and lost to cigar czar Jose Oliva (Rep. District 110). So […]