Herald endorsement: Our choice in Florida House District 114 election | Opinion
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Editorial Board’s General Election Endorsements
In advance of the upcoming general elections on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, the Editorial Board interviewed and researched candidates to better understand their views on various issues and how their policies will affect their constituents. The goal is to give voters a better idea of who’s the best candidate for each race.
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Republican incumbent Demi Busatta Cabrera is seeking a third term against Democrat Matthew John Bornstein in the November election in Florida House District 114.
The GOP-leaning district covers parts of Miami-Dade County — Coral Gables, South Miami, Cutler Bay and West Miami. Busatta Cabrera, 33, a director at a nonprofit for adults with developmental disabilities, has focused on bipartisan and important issues for her district — and has earned another term.
She sponsored legislation creating the state’s first sea-level rise plan and resilience office and a grant program for local governments to mitigate rising sea levels. She’s also behind laws that created a program for financial literacy for high-school students, set up state-sponsored vouchers for swimming lessons for low-income children under age 4, offered ways to improve transportation services for adults with disabilities and created regulations of private parking lots that are often a source of complaint from constituents.
Busatta Cabrera also co-sponsored the “Live Local Act”, a landmark legislative package that offered funding and incentives for the construction of workforce housing and had a controversial provision that preempted local zoning rules for developments that contain a certain amount of affordable units. She said the act is already making an impact on local development and “we may need to come back to do more” in the future.
With the high cost of homeowners’ insurance as one of the top issues in District 114 — and across the state — Busatta Cabrera wants to look into filing a “Homeowners’ Bill of Rights” to ensure that the reforms the Legislature passed in recent years to lower insurance company’s litigation costs are translating into lower premiums. She’s open to regulating those companies more closely, as the state does with utility companies.
Bornstein did not attend an interview with the Herald Editorial Board. His website says he’s a campaign strategist who worked on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign in Philadelphia. It’s unclear whether he’s actively campaigning. He hasn’t submitted any campaign finance information to the state.
Busatta Cabrera has often voted in lockstep with Republican legislative leadership on bills that are a step back for Florida, such as a six-week abortion ban and another that prohibited local minimum wage requirements and heat protection regulations for outdoor workers.
But the bills she’s sponsored show she’s paying attention and responding to local needs — and there seems to be no credible opposition to her reelection campaign.
The Herald Editorial Board endorses DEMI BUSATTA CABRERA for Florida House District 114
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWho decides the political endorsements?
In advance of local and state elections, Miami Herald Editorial Board members interview political candidates, as well as advocates and opponents of ballot measures. The Editorial Board is composed of experienced opinion journalists and is independent of the Herald’s newsroom. Members of the Miami Herald Editorial Board are: Amy Driscoll, editorial page editor; and editorial writers Isadora Rangel and Mary Anna Mancuso. Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
What does the endorsement process look like?
The Miami Herald Editorial Board interviews political candidates to better understand their views on public policy and how their policies will affect their constituents. Board members do additional reporting and research to learn as much as possible about the candidates before making an endorsement. The Editorial Board then convenes to discuss the candidates in each race. Board members seek to reach a consensus on the endorsements, but not every decision is unanimous. Candidates who decline to be interviewed will not receive an endorsement.
Is the Editorial Board partisan?
No. In making endorsements, members of the Editorial Board consider which candidates are better prepared to represent their constituents — not whether they agree with our editorial stances or belong to a particular political party. We evaluate candidates’ relevant experience, readiness for office, depth of knowledge of key issues and understanding of public policy. We’re seeking candidates who are thoughtful and who offer more than just party-line talking points.
This story was originally published October 14, 2024 at 2:14 PM.
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