In District 8 race, challenger Levine Cava has the momentum

In District 8 race, challenger Levine Cava has the momentum

Daniella Levine Cava is on fire. The social services leader challenging Miami-Dade Commissioner Lynda Bell has been endorsed by the county cops, the firefighters, SAVE Dade, Equality Florida, Emily’s List and Ruth’s List, which Levine Cava announced Monday. Last week, she released her first web video and on Saturday she opened her campaign office in […]

Candidate Daniella Levine seizes library issue opportunity

Candidate Daniella Levine seizes library issue opportunity

You gotta give it to Daniella Levine Cava, the Democratic Party darling running in the non-partisan county commission race against incumbent Lynda Bell: She knows a good campaign issue when she sees one. And she jumped on it quick. The last meeting of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Tarnished Boy” Gimenez‘s blue ribbon task force for the […]

Police and firefighters endorse Daniella Levine against Bell

Police and firefighters endorse Daniella Levine against Bell

Well, duh. It was very unlikely that the union representing Miami-Dade Police officers or the firefighters would back Miami-Dade Commissioner Lynda Bell  — who has drawn the ire of labor leaders with her consistent votes against county employees — in her re-election. Wednesday, they officially endorsed challenger Daniella Levine Cava in the race for District 8. […]

District 8 race passes $600K mark — for a $6,000-a-year job

District 8 race passes $600K mark — for a $6,000-a-year job

In what looks, so far, like the most heated commission race in the county, both candidates have already collected more than half a million dollars between them — for a $6,000-a-year post. Miami-Dade Commission Vice Chair Lynda Bell has raised more than 50 times that much in her own campaign account and her PACs. Her […]

County commission incumbents raise big money to stay put

County commission incumbents raise big money to stay put

Five of the six Miami-Dade County commissioners up for re-election this year have raised more than $100,000 each — and half got close or surpassed $200,000 — to stay in office. Only Commissioner Javier Souto, who is seen as vulnerable and drew a second opponent last month, raised less than $100K. Much less, with $44,500 […]

Daniella Levine raises tons of cash against Lynda Bell

Daniella Levine raises tons of cash against Lynda Bell

If people thought Miami-Dade Commissioner Lynda Bell was in trouble before, they are really hearing the bells toll now. Daniella Levine Cava, the longtime social worker and Democratic Party darling that was recruited to run against Bell, has raised almost $145,000 (counting in-kind) in the four short weeks since she started to raise campaign funds, […]

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 […]

Lynda Bell’s first promised challenge files: Daniella Levine

Lynda Bell’s first promised challenge files: Daniella Levine

It has been rumored for weeks but it became official on Friday: Democratic Party gadfly and social services activist Daniella Levine will be running against Miami-Dade Commissioner Lynda Bell. Levine, who founded the Human Services Coalition of Dade County in 1996, filed the paperwork Friday. Well, Danielle Levine Cava did. Whoever that is. She added Cava to […]

Eyes toward 2014 races as state, county horses line up

Eyes toward 2014 races as state, county horses line up

Now that this year’s lackluster little municipal elections have come and gone — well, all except the Miami Beach runoffs Nov. 19 — campaign professionals, political wannabes and junkie watchdogs like Ladra can start focusing on the 2014 races that promise much more drama at both the county and state levels. Several stabs for state […]

Homestead mayor’s win is victory for Dade Dems, too

Homestead mayor’s win is victory for Dade Dems, too

Newly elected Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter wasn’t the only one who won in that city’s election Tuesday night. The Miami-Dade Democratic Party, which went hot and heavy behind the Democrat against hotelier and Republican Mark Bell, husband of Miami-Dade Commissioner and uber conservative Republican Lynda Bell, claimed his 55-45 victory in that heated race as […]