Miami-Dade Mayor Files for Senate Seat

The Associated Press ^ | 4/2/03

[LdSentinal]

MIAMI - Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas filed federal forms Wednesday allowing him to raise money to run for U.S. Sen. Bob Graham's seat.

Penelas, 41, faces a Democratic primary campaign that may cost him millions. Graham has filed papers to run for president.

Penelas said in a statement Wednesday that he was not making any campaign remarks "in deference to the war effort" and the Democrat Graham, the state's senior senator who is serving a third term.

Penelas was first elected mayor in 1996. His current term ends in 2004.

He will face heavy competition within his own party for the nomination. U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch has already collected more than $2 million for a possible campaign, while U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings and state Sen. Walter "Skip" Campbell also are eyeing the race.

Two Republicans have declared their intent to run for Graham's seat — five-term U.S. Rep. Mark Foley and former U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum.

[LdSentinal]

It looks like there is a growing indication that Bob Graham will not run for reelection no matter how he does in the presidential primary.

[LdSentinal]

Ping

[Clemenza]

OH NO! NOT "Closet Boy" Alexis Penisless!

He could be a problem, as he was popular with many Republican voters in the Cuban Community. I hope to G-d that he doesn't get the nomination.

On the plus side, his close association with corrupt South Florida politicians will mean that he turn off swing voters who will cancel out the Cuban Republicans who would vote for him.

[Clemenza]

Can't the Florida GOP find better candidates than Foley and McCollum?

Deutsch (a Broward County Democrat par excellance) has a good chance if he can get the non-Jewish, Anglo voters in other parts of the state lined up before the primary. You could very well have a Democratic Primary comprised of three "ethnic" (Deutsch/Jewish, Penelas/Cuban and Hastings/black) politicians from South Florida.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I doubt Penelas would get the nod since scant few Cubans vote in the 'Rat primary. He wins solely due to personal ethnic appeal and nothing else (he should've lost to Black Republican Art Teele in a party-line vote for Mayor back in '96 in one of the truly strangest races in recent memory). But I have to agree about Foley and McCollum. Those guys are about as exciting as an 80-year old woman's breasts. We can do far better than that.

[FairOpinion]

This reminds me, anyone knows whatever happened to Joe Carollo, Miami Mayor during the Elian episode?

[fieldmarshaldj]

Carollo was defeated for reelection in '01.

[Clemenza]

Sad to say, but the ONLY time a Republican wins Miami-Dade (as Jeb did in 98 and 02) is when Cubans turn out heavily and/or the blacks stay home. It is impossible to get the blacks and Jews to vote GOP in SoFLA, even with a black or Jewish candidate.

I've always been a fan of my former State Senator Rudy Garcia, but he doesn't have the statewide exposure that other candidates do.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"It is impossible to get the blacks and Jews to vote GOP in SoFLA, even with a black or Jewish candidate."

That's why I mentioned Arthur Teele. He was a Black Republican and when he ran against Penelas for Miami-Dade Mayor, he received something like 90% of the Black vote. It was a very bizarre race where everything was upside down (Cubans voted like Blacks for 'Rats, and Blacks like Cubans for the GOP). I hope Teele considers running again.

[Clemenza]

I was in New York in '96 (lived in Miami 99-02) and never saw Art Teele at Republican events while I was down there. I've heard rumors that one of the Diaz de la Portilla brothers (or the mayor of Sweetwater, whose name eludes me) have been promised the nod by the County (Republican) Party. I'm not sure who the Dems will run, however.

Although I no longer live down there, I hope a strong showing by GWB helps to take out Janet Reno protege Kathy Rundle. The GOP candidate Al Millian was WINNING in 2000 until the votes came in from the beach. Al is a good guy (and ex special forces to boot) who could run again.

My parents told me that THEIR congressman, Robert Wexler, will not be running. Its a shame, as Whiney Wexler would get killed outside of the Broward/Palm Beach axis of evil.

[Clemenza]

BTW: The race I was referencing between Rundle and Millian was for States Attorney. If Millian would have prevailed, he would have been the first GOP States Attorney in the history of Dade County.

[Kuksool]

A Black Republican receiving the majority of the Black vote?! This is truly odd. However, much of Black population in Miami-Dade is made up of immigrants from Haiti. I think the GOP will have a better chance of appealing to Haitian immigrants than African-Americans who lived here for many generations. Unlike most Black Americans, Haitians are not scarred by the racial wounds of the Deep South.

[JohnnyZ]

Oh geez, he better not win the primary. But one would think he'd receive backing from the establishment. But maybe Hastings could pull it out. Do we have demographic data on the Rat primary vote? What about recent Rat primaries, who typically wins?

MEL MARTINEZ FOR SENATE!

[JohnnyZ]

Possible bad senate news ping

[republicanwizard]

Expect the pressure on Mel to become unbearable. Foley is a RINO. I don't want him. McCollum is a loser. I can't stand him. MARTINEZ FOR SENATE!

[GraniteStateConservative]

The others want to run for the open governorship in 1006.

[JohnnyZ]

or the "open" senate seat against Bill Nelson

[FairOpinion]

"Carollo was defeated for reelection in '01. "

----

Thanks. I knew that and that he also had some messy domestic problems. I just wondered what he has been doing since. I was impressed by him, the way he stood up and supported Elian to stay in the US, against Reno's storm troopers, unfortunately through the treachury of his chief of police, I think, she succeeded.

I think his domestic problems and the accusations, true or not, probably finished his career, unfortunately.

I am just wondering what he has been doing since he is no longer mayor.

[No Dems 2004]

Hey, Johnny, stay cool about Penelas. Sure, it's not particularly good news regarding the vote of the Latino community in Florida, but don't forget that when a minority candidate is run statewide on the Democratic ballot in a southern state, it drives the whites to the GOP (if they run a white boy). Don't forget that Florida is still about 65% non-Hispanic white. The GOP can turn this threat into an opportunity.

Anybody think Jeb should run for the Senate? He's a solid white male candidate that has strong appeal to the Latino and white communities.

[JohnnyZ]

but don't forget that when a minority candidate is run statewide on the Democratic ballot in a southern state, it drives the whites to the GOP (if they run a white boy).

I'm not sure that applies to Latinos in Florida. Commies like Alcee Hastings, sure. Alex Panelas . . .