Miami-Dade GOP boots Alex Diaz de la Portilla days before SD 40 primary

Apparently, Alex Diaz de la Portilla parties a little too hard.

On Tuesday, former lawmaker Alex Diaz de la Portilla will ask Republican voters in Senate District 40 to give him another shot at serving in the Florida Legislature. But just days before voters head to the polls Diaz de la Portilla has been evicted from the Republican Party of Miami-Dade County.

At its meeting Thursday evening, the Miami-Dade County Republican Executive Committee booted Diaz de la Portilla, along with eight other members of the committee, for missing three consecutive meetings without an excuse. The difference between DLP and those eight other members is that he is the only one currently campaigning for Republican votes.

Diaz de la Portilla faces Rep. Jose Felix Diaz and Lorenzo Palomares in the special election to replace Frank Artiles, who resigned earlier this year amid scandal.

The race for the GOP nomination has been a bitter and expensive battle, with outside groups pouring thousands upon thousands of dollars into the race.

Mami-Dade REC chairman Nelson Diaz confirmed to FloridaPolitics.com that Diaz de la Portilla has been officially removed from the organization.

“He ran for the REC last August But never showed up for the organizational meeting or any meeting thereafter,” Diaz explained. “When members miss three consecutive meetings and don’t request an excuse, they lose their seats.”

Diaz said Diaz de la Portilla had actually missed four consecutive meetings of the county party. Party bylaws define excessive absences as “failure to be reported as present” at a minimum of two or more of the respective meetings of the caucus in a calendar year.

Diaz de la Portilla could file an appeal (or review) of his removal, but it can only be reversed by a two-third vote by the RPOF Executive Board.

The Miami-Dade County Republican Executive Committee is comprised of 160 elected members representing 40 districts throughout the county. Diaz de la Portilla represented District 20 under this system.