Ryan Nicol
Florida Conservation Voters, a group which largely supports liberal, pro-environment candidates, is endorsing Daniella Levine Cava in the 2020 contest for Miami-Dade County Mayor.
Levine Cava currently represents District 8 on the Miami-Dade County Commission.
“We need leaders who put science over politics and prioritize conserving and defending our environment, and that’s the kind of leader we are confident Daniella Levine Cava will be as our next Miami-Dade Mayor,” said Jonathan Webber, the group’s deputy director.
“For years, she has been the loudest voice on the dais and in the community for bold climate action — earning herself the nickname ‘water warrior’. We are proud to join the many voices supporting her historic candidacy for County Mayor.”
A release from the Levine Cava campaign announcing the endorsement describes the group as “non-partisan.” However, of the group’s 11 endorsements for state Legislature races in 2018, all were for Democrats. Florida Conservation Voters also backed Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum and Democratic Attorney General candidate Sean Shaw.
The organization also backed Democratic Sen. José Javier Rodríguez in his 2020 reelection bid.
Levine Cava is competing in a seven-person race to be the next Miami-Dade County Mayor. Current Mayor Carlos Giménez is term-limited.
“We urgently need to address the climate crisis we are already facing, and that means taking big steps and putting every option on the table,” Levine Cava added in a statement.
“As Mayor, I will be ‘all in’ on fighting climate change and protecting our environment. I’m proud to have earned the support and trust of the Florida Conservation Voters and I look forward to taking on this battle alongside them.”
Also competing in the mayoral contest are Carlos Antonio De Armas, entrepreneur Monique Nicole Barley, County Commissioners Esteban “Steve” Bovo and Xavier Suarez, real estate agent Ludmilla Domond and former County Mayor Alex Penelas.
The election will take place alongside Florida’s primary elections on Aug. 18. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote — a high likelihood in the seven-person field — a runoff election between the top two candidates will be held during the Nov. 3 general election.
