President Trump Tweets Support For Miami-Dade Mayor

MIAMI, FL — President Trump tweeted out his support for Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez as the mayor launched his congressional bid Thursday. Gimenez followed up Friday by attending a White House ceremony, where he got some face time with the president.

"Carlos will win big, very exciting," the president predicted late Thursday night. "Great for Florida, great for USA! He has my complete and total endorsement!"

Gimenez, who is in his final year as mayor of Florida's most populous county, officially announced his run for Florida's 26th Congressional District seat held by Debbie Mucarsel-Powel, the first Ecuadorian-American and first South American immigrant elected to Congress.

Mucarsel-Powell upset former Republican U.S. Representative Carlos Curbello to win the seat in 2018 and Gimenez hopes to win it back though he must face fellow Republicans in the primary before he wins the right to take on the congresswoman.

As mayor of Miami-Dade County with its 2.8 million residents, Gimenez certainly enjoys name recognition among voters. He will take on restaurateur Irina Vilarino and Omar Blanco, who is the president of Miami-Dade Firefighters and Paramedics Local 1403 during the primary.

Mucarsel-Powell has secured appointments to the House Judiciary Committee, where she sits on the Immigration & Citizenship Subcommittee and Crime, Terrorism, & Homeland Security Subcommittee as well as the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee on the Water Resources & Environment Subcommittee and Economic Development, Public Buildings, & Emergency Management Subcommittee.

Since assuming office in 2011, Gimenez has pressed for more technology and innovation in county initiatives. Having been re-elected twice, Gimenez oversees 28,000 employees and a county budget of $8.9 billion.

"Thank you for all you’ve done for our economy and to fight socialism," Gimenez tweeted to the president on Thursday as he welcomed Trump to Miami. "I look forward to standing with you against the radical left who are determined to turn the U.S. into Venezuela. I'm running!"