Miami Commission District 1 challenger is the best candidate in runoff election | Opinion
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Editorial Board City of Miami 2023 Election Recommendations
In advance of the upcoming City of Miami elections on November 7, 2023, the Editorial Board interviewed political 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. Read our recommendations for Miami below:
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Two of the three Miami Commission races ended in runoffs. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 21. Here is the Editorial Board’s recommendation for District 1:
In the Miami City Commission District 1 runoff, there’s an obvious choice for voters.
They must pick between Alex Diaz de la Portilla — the incumbent until he was arrested, charged with corruption and suspended from office in September — and the challenger, Miguel Gabela, who had to fight the city to stay on the ballot.
Gabela, who has run for the Miami Commission three other times and forced Diaz de la Portilla into a runoff in 2019, was nearly sidelined in this race when commissioners redrew district boundaries, placing Gabela’s home outside the line.
The auto parts retailer, 59, moved to a duplex inside the new district during the summer, but the city said it was too late to qualify for the election. Litigation followed, with a judge ruling for Gabela. The city appealed. Then, in an Election Day boost for Gabela, the Third District Court of Appeal ruled unanimously that votes cast for him would count.
He came in second in the five-way race, with 28.82% of the vote. Diaz de la Portilla got 36.6%. Candidates need to surpass 50% of the vote to win. The runoff election is Nov. 21.
The Miami Herald Editorial Board did not recommend Gabela in the Nov. 7 election. Our reservations were based mostly on his combative demeanor. But in what is now a two-person race, he is the best choice for the seat.
Diaz de la Portilla, a former state legislator, has a lot of name recognition. He denies any wrongdoing. But, as we have said before, the needs of the district continue unabated and its residents deserve representation by someone who isn’t bogged down in serious criminal charges. They include money laundering, bribery and official misconduct — essentially, selling his vote in exchange for $245,000 in campaign contributions and gifts.
If the charges turn out to be true, they would, of course, make Diaz de la Portilla unqualified to serve. Even if he wins re-election first, it’s possible the governor will simply suspend him again. The seat has already been empty since mid-September.
Gabela has been outspoken about the need to “stop corruption in the city of Miami,” something we agree with wholeheartedly. He has been knocking on voters’ doors since February, he told the Editorial Board, to meet voters. That shows a level of commitment that we like to see.
He has lived in the district — barring the redrawing of the lines — for 37 years. He said the district has been neglected under Diaz de la Portilla; potholes aren’t being filled enough, parks aren’t improved and sewers get clogged, leading to flooding. He said he originally got involved in politics to help clean up a park near his house. He served on the city’s planning and zoning board from 2001 to 2009 and said he wants to serve as a city commissioner because, “This country has been good to me and my family, and this is my way of giving back.”
During his previous runs for the seat, he had plenty of time to get to know the community. That would serve him well if he wins.
Gabela’s outbursts during the Editorial Board interview — which related to the re-drawing of commission districts — were unbecoming for a candidate, no matter how aggrieved or how improperly he may have been carved out of the district. If he’s elected, he’ll need to learn to master his emotions in an atmosphere that is already often toxic and embarrassing.
Half of the city’s elected officials are in trouble. In addition to Diaz de la Portilla, Mayor Francis Suarez is being investigated for taking payments from a developer doing business in the city. And longtime Commissioner Joe Carollo abused his powers by weaponizing city code enforcement to punish two local businessmen who supported his opponent, a jury found.
Voters in District 1 deserve a commissioner who will serve them well. In the low-turnout Nov. 7 election, Diaz de la Portilla led — but only by 333 votes. That’s hardly a landslide. Gabela’s temperament may not be ideal but he’s the best choice.
The Herald Editorial Board recommends MIGUEL GABELA for Miami Commission District 1.
This story was originally published November 17, 2023 at 6:16 AM.