Hialeah Mayor Carlos “Castro” Hernandez — who likes to intimidate and silence his critics — has certainly earned his new nickname with his latest show of force and abuse of power against one of his biggest foes, Fire Union Vice President Eric Johnson. And just in time, as the heat turns up in the county […]
Roll the dice. Pick a card. Or a candidate. The race for Miami-Dade School Board in District 7 has already become a backdrop for the larger casino gambling issue that Ladra will bet — in fact, I’m all-in — becomes part and parcel of a bunch of campaigns this year, including what promises to be […]
The first quarter campaign finance reports in the Miami-Dade mayoral race are in and they arguably show what some people have been saying quietly and not-so-quietly since Commission Chairman Joe Martinez formally filed to run in January. Too little, too late. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez is looking like he is still the golden boy, having […]
Miami-Dade Commissioner “Mayor Sir” Xavier Suarez is likely not going to run for county mayor, despite early indications he would consider it. That’s what most of those close to him say, anyway. But he won’t put the rumor to rest as long as he can use it to light a fire under Mayor Carlos Gimenez‘s, […]
While homegrown actor Andy Garcia hosts a fundraiser for Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Jeb Bush stumps for U.S. Rep. Connie Mack‘s senatorial bid, Miami Lakes Mayor Michael “Muscles” Pizzi had to settle for a lot less star power: Hialeah Mayor Carlos “The Rock” Hernandez and his Lakes council faction, er, I mean colleagues at […]
One of the names many political observers thought they would see on the bulging ballot this year is MIA so far. But former State Rep. Marcelo Llorente (Rep., District 116) – who came in third during the Miami-Dade mayoral race last year — says not to count him out just yet. Llorente, who later endorsed […]
Well, there is obviously not much interest in deciding where State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera (Rep., District 112) should run next, but the tiny and totally unscientific (read: just fun) sampling we drew in 24 hours voted for a county commission seat by more than two to one. The less than five percent reader participation in […]
Decisions, decisions. It’s not easy for termed-out politicians to choose the best next step. Take, for example, the case of State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera (Rep., District 112), who is termed out this year and has not filed for any other elected office — yet. The House Majority Leader basically admitted to Ladra Sunday that he […]
Now that Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla has set his mind and heart on a still-elusive seat in the Florida Senate and abandoned thoughts (for now, anyway) about the house seat in district 112 — being vacated by his term-limited friend Rep. Carlos Lopez Cantera — it’s safe for other Republicans to come out […]
The sleepy little suburban bliss that is Doral is about to get a muddy political makeover. Even in this year’s cornucopia of campaigns, the Doral city elections are worth watching. Not just because every seat on the council save one is up for grabs (more on that later). Not because the candidates are that engaging […]