Miami-Dade Commission races might be a snooze fest, except for District 5

Vicki Lopez vs Joe Sanchez might be only real contest

Four of the seven Miami-Dade commissioners up for re-election this year might just coast back into office if they don’t get a challenge by the qualifying deadline in about two weeks. As of Memorial Day, incumbent Commissioners Micky Steinberg, Natalie Milian Orbis, Anthony Rodriguez and Juan Carlos “JC” Bermudez had not drawn an opponent — not one of them — and could be automatically re-elected in the August primary.

Meanwhile, it looks like Commissioners Marleine Bastien, Danielle Cohen Higgins and Vicki Lopez, who was appointed last November and needs to be ratified by the voters even though she’s in an odd-numbered district, will each have a race.

Of these, the most interesting one shaping up so far is going to be Lopez’s fight to hang on to District 5 against former Miami Commissioner and Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Joe Sanchez, who lost the Republican primary for Miami-Dade sheriff in 2024 and was not selected by the county board of commissioners to replace Eileen Higgins, who became Miami mayor.

Lopez has a kickoff fundraiser this week at the Miami Beach Golf Club. La dee dah. The host committee (in formation) features Sen. Shevrin Jones, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and a long list of who’s who in Miami Beach led with Mayor Steven Meiner and every sitting and former elected the city has still living. Oh, except for one who was inceremoniously struck from the list (more on that later).

Lopez already has $184,000 in her campaign account (compared to Sanchez’s $49,000), according to the last campaign finance reports. She also has $665,000 still sitting in her Common Sense Government Political Action Committee, including $410K reported in the first quarter this year.

Some people are lighting candles at their closet altars so that someone better comes along because, right now, the choice is between a handpicked establishment member who, as a state legislator, supported the infamous Live Local Act — an enormous gift to the real estate development industry camouflaged as affordable housing — has a prison record and a history of benefitting her friends and family through her office (more on that later), and the cop lite who lost the sheriff’s race, a former city commissioner who seemed pro development, voting against the 35-foot height limit in the MiMo Historic District, as well as the infamous Marlins Stadium deal that will end up costing taxpayers $3 billion.

The obvious question is why aren’t there any Democrats running for this non-partisan seat in a district that is so obviously blue? The just as obvious answer is in her host committee (in formation) list full of Democrats, including many of uber consultant Christian Ulvert‘s clients.

Qualifying starts on Tuesday and ends at noon on June 9. Let’s see how many people come out of the woodwork in the next 15 days.

In District 2, Bastien faces the ,most would-be challengers, though we’ll see how many of them qualify by the deadline — Ernst Jean, Elizabeth Jeanty and Miguel “Skip” Quintero. If that last one sounds familiar it is because he is the trapeze artist and teacher that ran against Levine Cava in 2024 and came in dead last in the seven-way primary, with just over 1%. He was “El Skipper” then. Now, he’s just Skip.

He’s been in an ongoing war with the county’s code violation department for the trapeze net he has in his backyard and the school he operates out of his home. Quintero just happens to live in District 2. He was going to run against whoever.

In her first campaign finance report for the first quarter of this year, Bastien reported raising $9,000 — all from a single source: Real estate developer Yoram Izhak. Quintero reported raising $11,700 since October, with $6,100 coming out of his own pocket. But he’s had almost as many expenses, including $10,500 to fundraising consultant Eileen Pineiro, who should really be fired.

Or maybe she should run for office.

Cohen Higgins, who is riding a wave of popularity right now, is facing a barely challenge from Martha Vega Hero, who may have worked on hispanic outreach for the campaign for Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar. She told Political Cortadito earlier this year that she also worked on the campaigns for Sen. Rick Scott, Congressman Carlos Gimenez and the mayor of Homestead, where she has lived for 11 years.

She is also involved in the Florida Republicans Coalition Corp. and as president of National Community Services, a non profit on Flagler Street that says it helps people fill out immigration documents and find fulfilling arts and sports programs. As founder and president of the organization, she has supported Salazar’s ironically named Dignity Act, because it offers no dignity. That plants Hero firmly in South Florida’s Republican political ecosystem.

But Cohen Higgins is seen as one of the strongest incumbents out there. Not vulnerable. She has $125,000 in her campaign account already and more than $700,000 sitting in her PAC, Fight for our Future. Hero, meanwhile has raised $12,000, including $4,000 she loaned herself.

We’ll know for sure on June 9 if there is anybody new and exciting running in any of these races and if the four commissioners who are sitting pretty will have reason to celebrate early.

Will there be any surprises? A watchdog can dream, can’t she?

This kind of independent, government watchdog reporting is crucial to transparency and democracy. And more so every day. Help shine a light on the darker corners of our community with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Click here. Ladra thanks you for your support.

Miami-Dade Commission races might be a snooze fest, except for District 5 added by Ladra on May 25, 2026
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