Doral votes for key council seat Tuesday in the city’s final runoff election
Doral residents face an important decision Tuesday as they vote for the next member in a five-seat city council within a divided government. The runoff election for Seat 3 will decide whether Mayor Christi Fraga can regain control of the council or if it will remain evenly split and give the fifth member a swing vote.
The race for the swing vote is between Nicole Reinoso, a Puerto Rican mother of three, and Juan Carlos Esquivel, a Venezuelan native with four children and three grandchildren.
In the Nov. 5 election, 23,352 out of 35,972 registered voters in Doral cast ballots for Seat 3. According to Miami-Dade Elections, 6% of voters have already voted by mail in the runoff election.
Reinoso ran as part of Fraga’s slate alongside Councilman Rafael Pineyro, but did not secure the majority needed to win outright. She led with 44.6%, followed by Esquivel with 35.6% and Irina Vilarino with 19.7%.
This is the city’s final runoff election for at least the next five years, following the approval of a charter amendment that eliminates them until a new Charter Revision Commission is established.
Reinoso is Fraga ally
Reinoso, 38, holds a degree in Health Services Administration and an MBA from Florida International University, an Associate in Arts in Health Services Administration from Miami-Dade College, and a law degree from St. Thomas University. Reinoso currently serves as an executive director for Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Reinoso and her family relocated to Doral five years ago, and she worked as a legislative analyst for Fraga when Fraga served as council member in 2019.
Although Reinoso has a close relationship with Fraga, she stresses that if she is elected her votes will be independent. “I’ll evaluate each issue that comes before the council, one by one, based on what benefits our residents,” she told the Miami Herald. “My goal is to collaborate with everyone on the council.”
Reinoso served on the Charter Review Committee that proposed 10 amendments to the charter. However, she voted against some of the proposals, citing concerns about a salary increase for council members and the elimination of runoff elections, which were ultimately approved by residents in November.
If she becomes a council member, her priorities will include public safety, programs for the elderly and advocating for responsible city growth. She aims to advance initiatives like the trolley system to improve mobility.
Reinoso was recently endorsed by President-elect Donald J. Trump, which could have significant implications for the approval of his development project in the city. The Doral International Towers project proposes a 1,429-unit condominium complex, along with 141,000 square feet of retail space, located on the southeastern corner of the Trump National Doral resort.
In an initial city council vote in August, the proposal passed narrowly with a 3-2 vote, with Fraga and Councilman Pinyero, voting against it. The outcome of the upcoming election will play a crucial role in determining the project’s future, which is set for a final vote in 2025.
Following Trump’s endorsement, Reinoso told the Miami Herald that it would not influence her vote if she were to become a council member and the proposed development comes back for consideration.
“Absolutely not. I’m grateful for the president’s support, but it will not affect my decision in any way,” she said. “No endorsement will sway my choices. I’m running to represent the residents of Doral, and every vote I cast will be transparent.”
Esquivel is a long-time advocate
Esquivel, 58, holds a master’s degree in business administration from Miami-Dade College and has run transportation and logistics businesses in Doral since 1991, before the city was incorporated. Esquivel is the chairman and director of Doral Voice, a nonprofit digital radio station that promotes social activism within the city.
Esquivel has long advocated against a controversial Miami-Dade waste plant incinerator located within city limits, supporting efforts to relocate the facility outside of Doral.
In the August primary election, Esquivel won the Miami-Dade Republican Party Executive Committee seat for District 40 with 37% of the vote.
Recognizing Doral’s identity as a city of immigrants, Esquivel aims to implement a support program that would function as a “desk within City Hall” to help new residents avoid scams, obtain their licenses, and locate schools for their children.
Esquivel also advocates for a strategic shift within the council, stressing the importance of building connections at the state and federal levels to enhance the city’s financial resources. “We are focused on local issues, but we should be proactive in seeking additional funding to better serve our community,” he said.
He has criticized the current atmosphere within the city council, arguing that rather than being driven by polarization, the focus should be on building consensus and making decisions that serve the best interests of residents.
This is Esquivel’s third attempt at a seat on the council. His first campaigned in 2020 against Oscar Puig-Corve, followed by another run in 2022 challenging Councilwoman Digna Cabral.
Seat 3 has been mired in controversy from the time all three candidates filed for the position. Vilarino faced a legal challenge to her eligibility and attempts to have her removed from the ballot—an action she accused Mayor Fraga of orchestrating. Ultimately, a judge ruled in her Vilarino’s favor, but she finished third in the November election.
Regaining control of the council is a key objective for Fraga. This election is pivotal for her, as she lost her majority when Councilwoman Maureen Porras, who had been part of Fraga and Pinyero’s slate in 2022 along with Esquivel, began opposing Fraga’s initiatives and positioned herself as a prominent voice of dissent.
While Fraga secured reelection in November, voters approved several amendments that will greatly diminish the mayor’s power, redistributing authority to the city council.
This story was originally published December 9, 2024 at 3:31 PM.
