Fraga and Pineyro reelected in Doral. One council seat remains open, headed to runoff
Doral Mayor Christi Fraga won re-election easily on Tuesday, successfully retaining her position and securing the re-election of her close ally, Rafael Pineyro, on the city council. However, Fraga was unable to secure a third vote on the city council without a runoff.
Fraga’s slate candidate for Seat 3, Nicole Reinoso, is going for runoff with Juan Carlos Esquivel. The contest for that seat, vacated by Vice Mayor Oscar Puig-Corve, will be decided on Dec. 10.
Although Fraga, 37, and Pineyro, 40, were re-elected, residents did not show overwhelming support for Reinoso, who received 45% to Esquivel’s 35%. Coming in third was Irina Vilarino, with 19%.
“Doral wants peace and harmony. Doral deserves professionalism, commitment,” said Fraga, who got 79% of the vote. “The right people, the right time.”
Fraga said that there are many things to work on: better transportation, improve security, a new park that she proposed to create.
“There are a lot of things we can solve with three people in the council, with the same vision,” Fraga said.
Roxanna Garay, who challenged Fraga, said she feels like a winner after she got 21% of the vote. “I had the opportunity to meet residents, business owners,” she said. “I earned the support of many residents.”
She sees 2026 as an opportunity to gain a seat in the council.
Reinoso, 38, holds a degree in health services administration and an MBA, said she got a great result for her first time running from office. “I’m confident we are going to do the work and win in December.”
Reinoso is also the executive director of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, a position she intends to retain, ensuring there is no conflict of interest between her roles. Reinoso served as a legislative analyst for Fraga when Fraga was a councilwoman in 2019.
Despite Reinoso’s close relationship with Fraga, she had emphasizes that her vote will be independent. “I’m going to look at things that come up to council. One by one. What’s going to benefit our residents,” she said. “And my goal is really to work with everybody” on the council.
Esquivel, 58, who holds a Master’s in Business Administration and has been running companies in the transportation and logistics sector in Doral since 1991. He said that the support he received from residents shows the community’s desire for a government that isn’t fixed or an arranged government.
“The residents voted for a balanced government, and that’s what I represent,” Esquivel said. “I’m not aligned with any particular team. We are restoring balance to our government, and I stand with the residents of Doral. I don’t take sides.”
He has a track record of campaigning for Doral council seats, having challenged Puig-Corve in 2020 and Councilwoman Digna Cabral in 2022.
Since the beginning of 2024, Fraga has been eager to regain influence on the council, with Reinoso as a key member of her team, saying that with three votes on the council would end the polarization in City Hall. The power dynamic shifted in January when Councilwoman Maureen Porras, who ran on a slate with Fraga and Pinyero in 2022 began voting against Fraga’s proposals, positioning herself as a significant opposition force. This change ultimately allowed Porras to emerge as the leader of the opposing faction in the city.
Porras said that Doral voters sent a loud and clear message. “We need a balanced city council,” she said.
Fraga said she was confident Reinoso will win in December.“The residents will see her qualifications and her commitment, and the need of a stable government. Nicole represent all of this,” she said. “Esquivel is my friend and he is a great man, but I believe Nicole is better for the government.”
Pineyro is confident that Reinoso will be elected in December. “We are not two, we are three,” he said. “Today we celebrated, but from tomorrow, again, we have the commitment to take Nicole to the council in Doral.”
“United Doral won,” Pineyro added.
This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 9:50 PM.
