Ryan Nicol
Former U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek is supporting Alex Penelas in the 2020 contest for Miami-Dade County Mayor.
“I am proud to stand with Alex,” Meek said Wednesday. “He led the way for Miami-Dade before and I am confident he will do it now.”
Penelas formerly served as Mayor from 1996-2004. That tenure partially overlapped with Meek’s time in the House.
Meek represented what was then Florida’s 17th Congressional District after first winning office in 2002. He served four terms before pursuing a Senate bid, ultimately losing to now-U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.
“We are going through challenging times as we have seen an overdue shift in the conversation about social and economic inequity,” Meek added, referencing recent social unrest spurred by George Floyd‘s death in Minneapolis.
“It will take a person with proven leadership and vision to lead the charge, and who is unafraid to do what is right for Miami-Dade County residents. Alex Penelas is a proven leader who will help us rebuild our economy, care for our most vulnerable, and make the changes we need to ensure accountability within law enforcement so that we celebrate those who keep our communities safe and weed out those who use race as a proxy for criminal conduct.”
Added Penelas, “As a pillar of our community and a staunch defender of fairness and equity, it is an honor to have the endorsement of Congressman Meek in my run for Miami-Dade County Mayor.”
Penelas is competing against Carlos Antonio De Armas, entrepreneur Monique Nicole Barley, current County Commissioners Esteban Bovo, Daniella Levine Cava and Xavier Suarez, and real estate agent Ludmilla Domond.
The contest is open, as Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Giménez is facing term limits. Giménez is pursuing a congressional seat.
Earlier this week, Penelas also courted endorsements from Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace and Aventura Mayor Enid Weisman.
