A couple of mailers in the lickety split Miami Lakes election are causing a little bit of tension among two one-time allies 
who are now running against each other in the crowded five-point race.
David “Doc” Bennett has already sent out two mailers with photos of him and his family and him with two legislators who have supported him in the past. Problem is, those supporters have already decided to back his old friend and ally, Councilman Nelson Hernandez, who is now his main opponent in the mayoral race.
The mailers don’t outright say that Sen. Rene Garcia and State Rep. Manny Diaz, Jr., endorse Bennett — and, in fact, the photos were taken some time last year or earlier — but it leaves enough doubt about their so-ardent endorsement of Hernandez.
“These are just pictures of me with celebrities,” Bennett told Ladra. “If I had pictures of me with Dwayne Wade or Lebron James I would use those.”
It’s true that politicians are like camera whores. They’ll take their picture with anyone (anybody remember the photo Ladra took of Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Garcia with the boletera Deisy Cabrera?). I am quite sure that there are photos of Garcia and Diaz, Jr., at some function or another with Pizzi, who was arrested last month on federal bribery and extortion charges stemming from an FBI investigation into a kickback scheme.
And, if nothing else, it sends voters the message that, despite his serial name-dropping to show off who he knows, Hernandez is not the only one who might be able to get Tallahassee’s attention. I mean, you can tell from the snapshots that these people like Bennett, too.
“They endorsed me in the last race,” he said. “I haven’t changed in the last nine months.
“And no matter who the mayor is, these are professional politicians who represent us and they will work with anyone,” Bennett added. “It is their duty to help their constituency, and anybody who wins the mayoral election will be one of their constituents.”
But both Garcia and Diaz, Jr., were quick to point out that their likenesses were not to be confused with their stamp of approval for his candidacy.
“Recently my image was used in a Miami Lakes campaign ad,” Diaz, Jr., posted on twitter Aug. 27, which is the same day the mailers started to land in mailb
oxes. “I would like to clarify. The only candidate I’m supporting is Nelson Hernandez.”
“Despite my photo being used for political ads by another candidate for mayor of Miami Lakes, only @NelHern has my endorsement and support,” Garcia posted. And Diaz, Jr., retweeted him, because I guess he liked the way the Senator said it better.
Can you imagine how many eyebrows would be strained if he would send a mailer with the endorsements he had from two of the other mayoral candidates. Not just with pictures of Garcia, but also glowing recommendations from him as well as Hernandez and founding mayor Wayne Slaton, another mayoral candidate.
“Dr. David Bennett’s community service along with his strong business experience will enable him to be a very effective public servant,” Garcia is quoted as saying. “David Bennett is a man you can trust to do the right thing,” Slaton says in the piece.
And then this gem from Hernandez: “I wholeheartedly support David’s candidacy to help move Miami Lakes in the right direction.”
Of course that was before the two were vying for the same job.
Lucky for Hernandez, he had a fundraiser Wednesday night at The Pampered Chef — the one hosted by the Hialeah AB mafia — and Ladra heard that everyone and their mother showed up.
If that translates into campaign checks, Hernandez can send set-the-record straight mailers with endorsements of his own. Look for them soon in a mailbox near you.
Mayoral mailer makes mockery of mafia endorsements added by Ladra on
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