Raquel Regalado wins second term on Miami-Dade County Commission, beats Cindy Lerner

Raquel Regalado won a second term on the Miami-Dade County Commission on Tuesday, finishing well ahead of challenger Cindy Lerner, a former Pinecrest mayor.

The contest was a rematch from the 2020 election for what was then an open seat representing District 7, an area that includes southern Miami and nearby municipalities of Key Biscayne, Pinecrest and South Miami.

“Thank you to everyone who stood by us, believed in our vision, and worked tirelessly to make this possible,” Regalado said in a statement she posted on social media shortly before 9:30 p.m. “I’m deeply honored and grateful for the trust you‘ve placed in me.”

Regalado, a Republican in a nonpartisan race, pitched herself as a hard-working legislator for Miami-Dade with a focus on reducing septic-tank pollution, preserving environmentally sensitive lands and championing tax breaks for low-income senior homeowners. The mother of two adult children on the autism spectrum, Regaldo also highlighted her work promoting opportunities for neurodivergent adults.

READ MORE: In her Miami-Dade rematch with Regalado, Lerner faces a new challenge: incumbent money

Lerner, a Democratic former member of the Florida House, tried to cast Regalado as a foe of the environment and an ally of the developers who helped fund her nearly $3 million reelection warchest.

A main attack topic for Lerner was Regalado’s 2022 swing vote to expand the Urban Development Boundary for the first time in nine years, a decision environmental groups opposed. Regalado, 50, portrayed Lerner, 72, as too strident to build coalitions on the commission, citing the former mayor’s sometimes contentious interactions with Pinecrest residents.

As an incumbent, Regalado outraised Lerner by more than $2 million and secured endorsements from the mayors of Key Biscayne and South Miami.

Regalado’s father, former Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado, also won his election Tuesday night for Miami-Dade property appraiser, replacing fellow Republican Pedro Garcia, who is retiring.

Though seven commissioners faced an election this year, only Regalado landed on the fall ballot. Four incumbents in their first terms — René Garcia, Oliver Gilbert, Eileen Higgins and Kionne McGhee — won reelection automatically in June with no challengers to run against them. Another, Keon Hardemon, was reelected in August by crossing the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff with the second-place finisher.

A six incumbent, Roberto Gonzalez, also won his August election to a full first term. Gonzalez was appointed to an vacant seat on the commission in 2022.

In the Aug. 20 election, Regalado finished with 49% of the vote in the three-person contest, with Lerner taking 42% and third-place finisher Richard Praschnik taking 9%. Praschnik endorsed Lerner for the runoff election.

This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 7:57 PM.