Miami-Dade Elections To Watch: Ken Russell, Ricky Arriola

MIAMI, FL — Miami City Commission Chairman Ken Russell faces three challengers Tuesday as he battles to retain his seat on the five-member commission.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who is not up for re-election, told Patch he would like to see Russell returned to office for another term.

"I’m supporting my chairman, Ken Russell, who I hope wins without a runoff," said Suarez, adding that he plans to monitor other races as well.

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Challenging Russell for his District 2 seat are Javier Gonzalez, Rosy Palomino and Jim Fried. The polls in Miami-Dade will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Miami attorney David Winker, who served as moderator of a candidate forum sponsored by the Woman's Club of Coconut Grove, told Patch District 2 includes the waterfront communities of Coconut Grove, Brickell, downtown and the upper east side, which generates more tax revenue than the rest of the city combined.

"It was a robust debate, with the three challengers focused on incumbent Ken Russell's 'Let's finish what we started' campaign slogan," Winker explained. "They tried to show that Ken Russell, who had run on smart development, parks and traffic, had turned more pro development in office and cited his campaign contributions and support of the referendum to approve the unsolicited no-bid Melreese stadium deal." The stadium will house Miami's new Major League Soccer team, Inter Miami CF.

Winker said Russell appeared to anger fellow commissioner Wilfredo Gort by allowing the voter referendum on the soccer stadium and retail complex to proceed over Gort's objections, a decision that could have repercussions.

"Before that vote, there had always been a 'gentlemen's agreement' that projects would not be forced upon a commissioner," Winker said. "In other words, commissioners had an informal veto over things that happened in their district. This prevented the other four commissioners from ganging up to vote, for example, to place a waste facility or a jail in a commissioner's district over his objection."

Gort's District 1 seat is also up for grabs Tuesday. The commissioner is barred from running in this election based on term limitations.

Vying for Gort's seat are Horacio Aguirre, Miguel Angel Gabela, Verania "Betty" Hermida, Yanny Hidalgo, Eleazar Melendez and Francisco Pichel.

Both seats on the Miami Commission are considered non partisan.

District 4 Commissioner Manolo Reyes was also up for re-election this year but no one filed to run against him by the deadline.

MIAMI BEACH

Miami Beach Commissioner Ricky Arriola is battling to keep his Group V seat against multiple challengers. Vying for Arriola's seat are Stephen Cohen, Raquel Pacheco and Jonathan Welsh.

"We have accomplished a lot over the past four years — completed the convention center, strengthened our city's resiliency against sea level rise, created a citywide free trolley system and begun a renaissance of North Beach," Arriola told Patch. "There is sill a lot to be done and the city needs leadership that is willing to use their expertise to see all the projects through to completion."

In addition to Arriola's seat, voters will also decide who will replace outgoing Group IV Commissioner Joy Malakoff and Group VI Commissioner John Elizabeth Alemán. Neither commissioner are seeking re-election.

Vying for Malakoff's seat are Michael “Mike B” Barrineau, former Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, Steven Meiner and Rafael A. Velasquez.

Running for Alemán's seat are Adrian Gonzalez, Mohammed Rafiqul Islam, David Richardson and Blake Young.

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber would have been up for re-election this year but no one qualified to run against him.

HOMESTEAD

Former Homestead mayor Jeffrey D. “Jeff” Porter is hoping to get his old job back Tuesday after stepping down to run for statewide office and losing in the primary.

Porter faces Steve Losner, who is running on a "residents first" platform with respect to taxes, spending, traffic and public safety.

Sean L. Fletcher takes on Dennis Ray Maytan Jr.for Council Seat 2 in Homestead while William “Bobby” Rea takes on incumbent Larry Roth for Council Seat 3.

HIALEAH

In Hialeah, two candidates are vying for the Group I Council Seat — incumbent Lourdes Lozano and Monica Perez — while five are battling for the Group II Council Seat — Salvador “Para Bailar” Blanco, Fernando Godo, Luis Gonzalez, Angelica Pacheco and Jesus Tundidor.

The Group III Council Seat has drawn four candidates — Ricardo Rodriguez Blanco, Jackie Garcia-Roves, Milly Herrera and Eduardo A. Macaya.

Vying for the Group IV Council Seat are Oscar De la Rosa and Mike Horgan.