Homestead mayor’s election, two council races end with runoffs

Homestead mayor’s election, two council races end with runoffs

November is a month away, but there was an election already on Tuesday. Bet nobody noticed outside of Homestead, where they work the runoff backwards, having a primary in October whenever there is more than one candidate in any race. And guess what? All three races are headed to runoffs. Former Mayor Jeff Porter — […]

No real 2017 mayoral bids in ‘Big Four’

No real 2017 mayoral bids in ‘Big Four’

We’ve been robbed. Cheated! The four biggest cities in Miami-Dade have elections next month without a single mayoral race. Not really anyway. The four frontrunners have zero or marginal opposition. That means there will be no debates, no conversation about the direction of these cities, no real choice for the voters of Miami, Miami Beach, […]

Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter kicks off reelection among pals

Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter kicks off reelection among pals

It was like a Sunshine Law violation waiting to happen: All but one of the city council members showed up to the kick off of Mayor Jeff Porter‘s reelection campaign Thursday night — an intimate affair with about 100 or so people in the Champion’s Club at the Miami-Homestead Speedway. In a rare sign of […]

Political Pics of the Week: MLK, a rodeo and Miss Universe

Political Pics of the Week: MLK, a rodeo and Miss Universe

It was a busy week for Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, who was at all the parades, a Catalyst Miami event, the transportation summit and the opening of her office in Homestead. But it was a busy week on Instagram, twitter and Facebook, as electeds took part in MLK events, a rodeo, two parades — […]

Political Pics of the Week: A runoff and other races

Political Pics of the Week: A runoff and other races

Sure, there was some big football game, I hear. But this week was marked mostly by races — a runoff in Palmetto Bay and the NASCAR races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, a three-day speed fest that ended with the championship Sunday night. Both are very competitive sports. In Palmetto Bay, where the former founding Mayor Eugene […]

Two arrests in Homestead absentee ballot fraud case

Two arrests in Homestead absentee ballot fraud case

Almost a year after they were reported to have tampered with the ballots of a Homestead family, two workers from the 2013 mayoral campaign of hotelier Mark Bell, husband of Miami-Dade Commissioner Lynda Bell — have been arrested on absentee ballot fraud charges. The Miami-Dade State Attorney Office and the Miami-Dade Police Department announced Thursday the […]

Political Pics of the Week: Two weeks of electeds in action

Political Pics of the Week: Two weeks of electeds in action

After a week hiatus, Political Cortadito Pics of the Week is back. There were more parades last month for Martin Luther King Day — one in Homestead and one in Liberty City. There were luncheons and networking nights. Politicos went on radio and TV and commented on stuff, even, on the Justin Bieber DUI thing. […]

Oooops! Daniella Levine’s ‘early’ endorsement list changes

Oooops! Daniella Levine’s ‘early’ endorsement list changes

Miami-Dade County Commission hopeful Daniella Levine Cava, who filed Friday to run against Vice Chairwoman Lynda Bell, is set to announce her candidacy this afternoon, again, with a slew of “special guests” including local electeds and former electeds who, one would surmise, support her bid. But Ladra is curious about who is not on the […]

Politico Pics of the Week: Year ends with fun, family, faith

Politico Pics of the Week: Year ends with fun, family, faith

Another slow week for electeds as we celebrated New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and the prolonged vacation people take the days before and after. Very few selfies were posted. But Ladra always finds some. And, this time, the general theme was family. Miami Springs Mayor Zavier Garcia skipped the parties and rang in […]