Posted on Mon, Jun. 30, 2008

One has the state's speaker of the House in his corner. The other has a former U.S. senator backing her bid. Thus, a battle of political name recognition marks the start of the race for the Florida House of Representatives District 110 seat covering portions of Hialeah, Miami Lakes and unincorporated Northwest Miami-Dade.

Republican Hialeah Council President Esteban ''Steve'' Bovo and Democrat Nancy L. Stander, a former staffer for U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, are running for the seat vacated by Republican Rep. Rene Garcia due to term limits.

Bovo, who works as a lobbyist for Miami Children's Hospital, has ties to Tallahassee. His wife and campaign treasurer, Viviana Bovo, is a legislative aide to outgoing House Speaker Marco Rubio.

Stander, a teacher at Bob Graham Educational Center in Miami Lakes, was encouraged to run by her former boss.

Now the question is: Whose backer will resonate with voters?

Graham is an icon in Miami Lakes as a senator and former governor -- but also because his family developed the town. Bovo already has name recognition for his role on the Hialeah council, but having the first Cuban-American speaker of the House on your side in a Cuban-American city doesn't hurt either.

-- LAURA FIGUEROA