Max Alvarez: GOP success story or enabler of dictators? Ask Miami’s ADLP

Max Alvarez: GOP success story or enabler of dictators? Ask Miami’s ADLP

The appearance of Miami’s Max Alvarez, owner of Sunshine Gasoline Distributors, at the Republican National Convention Monday was praised by many as one of the most compelling speeches of the night, a striking testimonial from a successful businessman reflective of the Cuban-American success story. But one important local Republican has called Alvarez a fan and […]

More people come out to vote in special Miami-Dade District 5 runoff

More people come out to vote in special Miami-Dade District 5 runoff

It’s not even over yet, and already more people have voted in the runoff for the special shotgun wedding election in Miami-Dade District 5 than in the first round when there were twice as many candidates. Early voting ends Sunday and already, through Saturday, there had been 2,055 ballots cast at the four early voting locations. […]

GOP finally enters partisanized Miami-Dade District 5 race after the Dems

GOP finally enters partisanized Miami-Dade District 5 race after the Dems

Are nonpartisan municipal races a thing of the past?   The Democrats made them do it. That’s what Nelson Diaz, chairman of the Miami-Dade Republican Party, said about an email they blasted Wednesday for Zoraida Barreiro, who is running in the special shotgun wedding election for the county commission district 5 seat vacated by her […]

Joe Carollo fires staffer who reported abuse of office to the State Attorney

Joe Carollo fires staffer who reported abuse of office to the State Attorney

The big news isn’t that Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo fired his one-time campaign manager, right hand man and District 3 Liasion Steven Miro. The big news is why. Sources tell Ladra that Miro made a complaint to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office recently about Carollo using city funds and city personnel to campaign for Alex Diaz […]

Eileen Higgins would upset the apple cart, and add checks and balances

Eileen Higgins would upset the apple cart, and add checks and balances

There’s a reason why both Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Commission Chairman Esteban Bovo — who hopes to be the next county mayor — have endorsed Zoraida Barreiro in the District 5 commission race: They want to stay in control. They like things the way they are. Barreiro would be a known entity, a Republican […]

Winners and losers in Miami-Dade’s special District 5 commission race

Winners and losers in Miami-Dade’s special District 5 commission race

Yes, we already know that former State Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla is the biggest loser in the special shotgun wedding election in Miami-Dade District 5, getting shut out of the runoff by Zoraida Barreiro and Eileen Higgins — his third loss in a hisif. Fifth, if you count his brothers’ defeats.  And, yes, Higgins […]

Eileen Higgins makes history leading special county race against the odds

Eileen Higgins makes history leading special county race against the odds

Political newby heads into runoff with Zoraida Barreiro Gringa political virgin Eileen Higgins either waged a very good campaign or voters in Miami Beach, downtown, Brickell and Little Havana are tired of the same ol’, same ol’. Or maybe a little magic formula of both those things. Because Higgins pulled a rabbit out of her hat […]

Absentee ballots fly in hurried, special District 5 county commission race

Absentee ballots fly in hurried, special District 5 county commission race

If ever there was a race where absentee ballots was going to make the deciding factor, it is the special shotgun wedding election in Miami-Dade’s County District 5. Four candidates are vying to replace Bruno Barreiro, who resigned last month so he could run for Congress: His wife, Zoraida Barreiro, former Sen. Alex Diaz de […]