Herald endorsement: Miami Beach Commission Group I election runoff | Opinion
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Editorial Board’s runoff election endorsements
Ahead of the upcoming local elections, the Editorial Board sits down with political candidates to gain insight into their positions on key issues and the potential impact of their policies on the community. Our aim is to help voters make informed decisions about who is best suited for each race. See our November 2025 endorsements below:
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The Miami Beach Commission Group 1 seat is open, and two candidates are headed to a Dec. 9 runoff after they came out ahead in a six-way general election in November.
The Herald Editorial Board endorsed Monica Matteo-Salinas in the Nov. 4 race, in which she finished first with 23% of the vote. She’s our choice again in the runoff. Her opponent is Monique Pardo Pope, who came in second with 20%.
Matteo-Salinas, 46, is the most qualified and knowledgeable candidate with the most thorough proposals. She has a degree in public policy and currently works for the city’s fleet department, a position she said she will resign if elected. She was a legislative aide to Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, the term-limited incumbent in Group I, and to Commissioner Alex Fernandez. Her experience will help her navigate the complicated legislative process as an elected official.
Her main priorities are affordability, transportation, addressing overdevelopment and helping small businesses. For example, she wants to revive a small business academy to help entrepreneurs navigate cumbersome city regulations.
On affordable housing, Matteo-Salinas said Miami Beach could use state and federal money to buy foreclosed apartments or buildings that are “relatively inexpensive comparative to the market” to create workforce and senior housing. She also wants to expand the city’s trolley fleet and improve their cleanliness and safety, and use tourism tax dollars to hire a “water czar” to address the Beach’s water quality issues. On spring break, she’s open to relaxing some of the onerous regulations that she credited for keeping rowdy crowds away but that affect the quality of life of residents and hurt businesses.
Pardo Pope, 44, is a lawyer, vice president of the Women’s Cancer Association of the University of Miami and a board member of the Nautilus Homeowners Association in Miami Beach. She said the main concern she hears from residents are public safety, homelessness and over development. She also wants to upgrade the city’s trolleys and work with big employers to reduce the traffic caused by employees who commute from the mainland. She said the city “broke up” with spring break but now needs to entice new visitors to return to the Beach
Ahead of the November election, some of Pardo Pope’s past social media posts resurfaced in which she referred to her late father, convicted 1980s serial killer Manuel Pardo, as her “hero.” She released a statement saying, in part, that she was “confident that voters will look past the sins of my father and understand that I too am a victim in this,” the Herald reported. Certainly, that post could be considered problematic by voters, but she should not be held accountable for her father’s crimes, which occurred when she was a child.
In the end, though, our decision rests on qualifications and experience, not family background.
The Herald Editorial Board endorses MONICA MATTEO-SALINAS for Miami Beach Commission Group I.
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.