Reinoso wins seat on Doral city council, securing majority for Mayor Fraga
Doral residents gave Mayor Christi Fraga a council majority by supporting her candidate for Seat 3, Nicole Reinoso, who won the runoff election against Juan Carlos Esquivel on Tuesday.
Reinoso, 38, was part of Fraga’s slate alongside Councilman Rafael Pineyro. While Reinoso did not secure a majority in the general election on Nov. 5, she triumphed in the runoff with 68% of the 4,057 votes cast.
Reinoso said that she was “thrilled and grateful for the overwhelming wave of support of our residents. Their confidences and encouragement inspire me as we move forward together.”
A total of 4,057 people voted in the runoff, a significant decrease compared to November, when 23,352 ballots were cast for the seat. Only 11% of registered voters participated in the runoff, which will be the last such election in Doral following the approval of a charter amendment that eliminates runoff elections—at least until a new Charter Revision Commission decides otherwise.
Reinoso currently serves as an executive director for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, 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 Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University.
Reinoso served as a legislative analyst for Fraga during her tenure as a councilwoman in 2019.
After being elected, Reinoso said to the Miami Herald that she looks forward to join Fraga and council member Pineyro on the dais, “working as a team to create the unity and collaboration our city deserves and yearns for.”
In 2024, Reinoso served on Doral’s Charter Review Committee that proposed 10 amendments to the charter. However, she voted against the proposals, citing concerns about the salary increase for council members and the elimination of runoff elections, which were ultimately approved by residents in November.
Reinoso now holds the swing seat on the divided five-member council, a position that Fraga needed to regain a majority. This comes after a polarized year on the council in which Councilwoman Maureen Porras, who was part of Fraga’s 2022 slate, became a strong opponent.
Esquivel, 58, who was running for the third consecutive time, having lost in each of his previous attempts, said he cannot step away from politics, as he was elected in the August primary to serve on the Miami-Dade Republican Party Executive Committee for District 40. However, he remains uncertain about running for local office again.
“This election felt like a David versus Goliath battle, where we took on the establishment,” Esquivel told the Herald. “Ultimately, voter apathy prevailed, but I am pleased that the runoff election was removed from our charter.”
His initial campaign in 2020 pitted him against Oscar Puig-Corve for the very seat he now vied for, followed by a subsequent attempt in 2022 challenging Councilwoman Digna Cabral.
Esquivel was campaigning as the most “balanced candidate.” He advocated for a strategic shift within the council, emphasizing the importance of establishing state and federal connections to bolster the city’s financial resources. “We are busy locally, but we should actively pursue additional funding opportunities to better serve our community,” he said.
While Fraga secured reelection in November, voters approved several amendments that will greatly diminish the mayor’s power, redistributing authority to the city council.
“Today is a victory not only for Nicole Reinoso, but for our entire Doral community,” Fraga told the Herald. “Reinoso’s election is a step forward for our city, and I have full confidence in her vision and commitment to serve our residents.”
In a highly competitive race with three candidates contending for the swing seat, Esquivel placed second in the general election in Nov., trailing behind Reinoso, who led with 44.6%. Esquivel secured 35.6% of the vote, while Irina Vilarino finished third with 19.7%.
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.
Trump endorsement might be decisive
Reinoso was recently endorsed by President-elect Donald 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 3-2, with Fraga and Councilman Pinyero voting against. The project is set for a final vote in 2025.
Reinoso told the Miami Herald that Trump’s endorsement would not influence her vote as a council member.
“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 was running to represent the residents of Doral, and every vote I cast will be transparent.”
This story was originally published December 10, 2024 at 9:33 PM.
