Miami Beach Commission’s four-lane fundraising race could mean finish photo on Tuesday
The race for the Miami Beach Commission seat representing Group 1 will end on November 2, when voters decide which of the four candidates they want to replace the outgoing commissioner. Micky steinberg.
They include a college professor and former Miami Beach commissioner Kristen rosen gonzalez, owner of a local business Raquel Pacheco, restaurateur Adrien González and industrial sales entrepreneur Blake Young.
A fifth candidate, businessman Greg Branch, withdrew from the race last month to take a position on television.
None is a shoo-in to succeed Steinberg, who leaves for a limited term Sally Heymanheadquarters of the Miami-Dade Commission. And if no candidate obtains more than 50% of the vote, the two candidates who receive the most votes will face each other in a second round on November 16.
Rosen Gonzalez, who was elected in 2015 but resigned to fail Congress, leads the global fundraising field with more than $ 82,000 raised since entering the race in July.
She still has $ 36,000, which is close to what she raised – and spent – between September 1 and October 15.
During this period, Rosen Gonzalez received 79 contributions, with individual donations ranging from $ 5 to $ 1,000.
Many of its donors have come from the real estate, hospitality, and service industries, including $ 1,000 checks from Miami-based CMR Properties, Miami Beach restaurants La Cerveceria Ocean, Big Pink, and Free Spirits Sports. Café and hotel Marseille.
The Miami Beach chapter of the Communication workers of America union and the Florida Chapter of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) also donated $ 1,000.
Like her opponents, most of Rosen Gonzalez’s spending was on standard campaign costs, including events, advertisements, outreach, media, materials, food, and supplies.

The second biggest fundraiser, Adrian Gonzalez, had his best winnings between September 1 and October 15, raising almost $ 40,000. That’s almost two-thirds of what he’s collected since launching his offer in July.
And he still has most of them; its most recent filings with the city show over $ 54,000 unspent.
In the past month and a half, Gonzalez has received 76 contributions ranging from $ 10 to $ 1,000. Many were from the real estate, hospitality, and service industries, including $ 1,000 checks from the Korean barbecue restaurant. Drunk dragon, local bar Two by Two, real estate company LeJeune Properties and Realtors Thomas rodgers and Mo García.
Candidate Raquel Pacheco, who Ruth’s List Florida approved in July, she has about $ 11,000 left of the $ 54.00 she has raised since joining the race in May. This is because she has been in deficit since September 1.
Since then, she has received 32 contributions ranging from $ 10 to $ 1,000. Notable donations included $ 2,000 from companies owned by a billionaire car dealership and former owner of the Philadelphia Eagles Norman Braman; $ 1,000; $ 500 from another Ruth’s List endorser Janelle Perez, who shows up to overthrow the senator. Ileana Garcia in Senate District 37 next year; and $ 100 from the self-employed Ibis Valdes, who is functioning for a seat on the Miami-Dade Commission against the pro tempore president of Florida House Brian Avila.
In last place, but not for lack of personal investment, is Blake Young, whose ledger with the city shows he technically raised $ 1,300 and spent just $ 40.
However, a closer look at his documents reveals that he counted nearly $ 15,500 in in-kind expenses, most of which went towards campaign expenses that he covered out of pocket. He said he was running a “no donation” campaign.
It’s a race to watch on election day. While Rosen Gonzalez, 48, is a name many voters can recognize, she has sparked controversy on several occasions during her career in the public service, including engaging in quarrels with other commissioners and one goof last month, when she claimed to be “the city of Miami’s most prominent Hispanic Democrat” even though she was not actually Hispanic. (Her ex-husband is.)
Former Connecticut Army National Guard member Pacheco, 47, runs a translation company and has suggested doubling the number of police in the South Beach entertainment district instead of making the last call to the alcohol from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m., a mayor solution Dan Gelber and former mayor Philippe levine defended vocal opposition.
But as the Miami Herald reported, Pacheco has twice filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, most recently in 2017, which might worry some voters about its budgeting aptitude, one of the many responsibilities of the Commission.
Gonzalez, 47, also struggled with money. His family’s restaurant, David’s Café, closed its Alton Road location last year after its owner requested eviction from the business for non-payment of rent in excess of $ 51,000.
Now facing a foreclosure lawsuit against his home and another lawsuit by creditors for debt over $ 36,000, he runs a pop-up cafe at the Shelbourne South Beach hotel called Cafécito by David’s Café.
And without fundraising muscle, Young fought an uphill battle that might turn out to be too steep. We will see Tuesday.
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