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Doral, Florida — A legacy media publication famously claims that “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” In Miami-Dade County, however, democracy is dying in broad daylight. A substantial majority of local incumbents are cruising to re-election without a single challenger in either the primary or general election. Their only potential barrier to continued tenure is statutory term limits. In some cases, incumbents were appointed to their posts and have never faced the voters at all.
I. State Representatives
At least five of the roughly dozen local state representatives have already secured re-election without opposition:
House District 110: Tom Fabricio (R-Miami Lakes)
House District 111: David Borrero (R-Doral)
House District 112: Alex Rizo (R-Hialeah)
House District 114: Demi Busatta (R-Coral Gables)
House District 120: Jim Mooney (R-Florida Keys)
The following incumbents have also advanced to the November general election without primary challengers:
House District 115: Omar Blanco (R-Dadeland)
House District 116: Ashley Perez-Biliskov (R-Westchester), sister of outgoing Republican House Speaker Danny Perez
House District 119: Juan Carlos Porras (R-The Hammocks)
Your correspondent expects to endorse every one of these legislators in the general election. Still, representative government would be healthier if incumbents were forced to defend their records, character, and policies before the voters.
A few races remain contested:
House District 113 (Brickell, Coconut Grove, Little Havana, Shenandoah, and Key Biscayne): Republicans Tony Diaz and Bruno Barreiro are waging spirited primary campaigns against RINO Frank Lago. See: Tony Diaz for Florida House District 113. Lago has distributed mailers featuring his photo beside President Trump’s, despite no involvement or endorsement from Trump. See: Fishy Frank Lago Is Swimming to an Open Seat Near You.
House District 117 (Homestead and Florida City): Republican Miguel Granda is challenging incumbent Democrat Kevin Chambliss in the general election.
House District 118 (mostly unincorporated areas near Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport): Incumbent Republican Mike Redondo, the incoming House Speaker, faces a primary challenge from independent Republican Marco Insua, who lives in the district.
II. County Commissioners
Eight members of the nonpartisan Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners are up for election this year. At least five have already secured re-election without opposition:
District 10: Chairman Anthony Rodriguez (R-Westchester)
District 4: Micky Steinberg (D-Aventura)
District 6: Natalie Milian Orbis (R-West Miami), appointed to replace Kevin Cabrera after his confirmation as U.S. Ambassador to Panama; she has never faced voters for this office.
District 12: Juan Carlos Bermudez (R-Doral)
District 1: Steve Gallon (D-Miami Gardens), who resigned from the School Board to run after the previous incumbent left for Congress. The only potential challenger, a Miami Gardens City Councilwoman, withdrew after what appeared to be an offer she couldn’t refuse.
Contested races include:
District 2: Incumbent Marleine Bastien (D-Opa Locka) faces independents Skip Quintero and Ernst Jean.
District 5: Incumbent Vicki Lopez (RINO-North Miami and Miami Beach), previously appointed to replace Eileen Higgins, faces Republican Joe Sanchez (who narrowly lost the Sheriff’s primary two years ago) and independent John DuBois.
District 8: Incumbent Danielle Cohen Higgins (D-Palmetto Bay), initially appointed to replace Daniella Levine Cava and later elected with incumbency advantage, faces sometime-Republican Martha “Vega” Hero and independent Rob Piper.
When vacancies arise on the County Commission or similar bodies, they should be filled by special election rather than appointment by the very body losing a member. If the objection is cost, elections could be made more affordable by eliminating vote-by-mail ballots and limiting early voting to a single week.
III. School Board
Four of the five School Board members up for election this year face no challengers:
District 2: Dorothy Bendross-Mendingal (D-North Miami)
District 4: Roberto Alonso (R-Doral)
District 6: Mari Tere Rojas (R-Coral Gables)
District 8: Monica Colucci (R-West Miami)
The only contested race is in District 1 (Miami Gardens), where Steve Gallon’s resignation created an open seat. Eight candidates are competing in this nonpartisan race, virtually guaranteeing a November runoff between the top two finishers.
School boards should ultimately be abolished. Taxpayers should fund students and families directly through school vouchers rather than failing government monopolies controlled by teachers’ unions. See Milton Friedman’s Capitalism and Freedom.
IV. Circuit Judges
Of the 32 Miami-Dade Circuit Court judges eligible for re-election this year, only five seats are contested:
Group 5: Monica Segura (wife of a Coral Gables commissioner), Alex Annunziato (former Florida State Trooper), and Marty McNeil (former Public Defender) — likely headed to a runoff.
Group 35: Cristobal Padron (Republican, repeat candidate) vs. Renee Gordon (another former Public Defender).
Group 65: Conservative Republican Destiny Alvarez challenges incumbent progressive Mavel Ruiz. See: Support Destiny Alvarez for Judge.
Group 69: Rita Maria Baez and Bonita Peabody-Jones (both previously unsuccessful) face Republican newcomer Yaneth DelCarmen Baez — another likely runoff.
Group 76: Incumbent Republican Spencer Eig faces inexperienced challenger Yenly Dominguez.
The remaining 27 judges will retain their seats unchallenged.
V. County Judges
Of the 10 Miami-Dade County Court judges eligible for re-election, only one faces opposition. In Group 25, experienced Republican Luis Perez-Medina is challenged by yet another inexperienced candidate, Maribel Diaz.
Some observers note that Latina women appear to enjoy a distinct advantage as judicial candidates in Miami-Dade — a pattern that may help explain the candidacies of Maribel Diaz, Yenly Dominguez, and Yaneth DelCarmen Baez.
Conclusion
The scarcity of candidates reflects — and reinforces — chronically low citizen participation. Two years ago, primary turnout hovered around 20 percent, while general election turnout reached about 72 percent.
This persistent Republican under-participation stems in large measure from the disorganization, inactivity, and lack of enthusiasm of the Miami-Dade Republican Executive Committee:
1. Rather than recruiting committeemen and committeewomen in all 755 precincts, the party relies on an artificial structure of 40 districts and roughly 100 active members. (See: The Precinct Project.)
2. Basic grassroots work — voter registration drives, poll watching, voter roll maintenance, and machine testing — is neglected. Meetings are infrequent.
3. Candidates are rarely recruited, trained, or supported to build a strong farm team from the ground up.
Future candidates should be not merely Republicans — third parties are for losers — but freedom conservatives: conservative on social and cultural issues in the mold of Governor DeSantis, and libertarian on political economy (lower taxes, reduced spending, school choice, election integrity, etc.). See the Freedom Conservatism Statement.
As President Reagan observed: “If you analyze it, I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism… The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference, or less centralized authority, or more individual freedom, and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is.”
Finally, candidates must remain independent of the party establishment. That begins with having a real trade, business, or profession that provides financial independence from donors, lobbyists, and party machinery. Politics should be a calling, not a career.
Don’t Tread On Me!
