Juan Carlos Bermudez nears $440K on hand for Miami-Dade Commission run

Doral Mayor Juan Carlos “J.C.” Bermudez added more than $49,000 in November to his growing campaign coffers, mostly from the real estate sector and consulting firms, in his still-unopposed run for Miami-Dade Commission District 12.

No one has emerged to challenge him for the seat, which long-time Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz must vacate next year due to term limits. Anyone who does, however, will face an uphill fundraising battle. Bermudez now holds nearly $440,000 between his campaign and political committee, Committee for Responsibility in Government.

Bermudez’s single biggest donation last month came from Luar Investments LLC, a real estate investment company registered under Raul F. Rodriguez, the president and CEO of ambulance company National Health Transport Inc.

Engineering firm WSP USA, a frequent Miami-Dade consultant that in late February 2021 lured then-county Transportation Director Alice Bravo into its ranks, donated $1,000. So did Brickell Realty Group.

Bermudez received three $5,000 contributions from consulting firms: JAB Miami, a Miami limited liability company registered to Jose Bermudez; North Miami-based MAM Title Consultants; and Florida Policy Solutions Inc. in Orlando.

His remaining gains were a hodgepodge of some 25 individual and business donations ranging from $200 to $1,000.

He received $2,000 from three donations across as many businesses under the umbrella of Sushi Sake, a Miami-Dade business run by brothers Angel Aguayo and James Aguayo. Last year, they spoke to Forbes about plans to expand their restaurant chain, which is now registered to franchise in 34 states, to more than 100 locations through 2026.

Bermudez also enjoyed support from several cigar businesses. He took $1,000 from Miami lounge Cava Cigars, $500 from Hialeah Gardens-based manufacturer Espinosa Cigars and $250 apiece from Doral store Sabor Havana and distributor Miami Cigar & Company.

Other noteworthy contributions included $1,000 from Doral-based electric moped manufacturer Voltage Electric Vehicles Corp. and the same amount from Steven Marin, president and CEO of lobbying and government consulting firm Marin & Sons.

Bermudez spent just over $250 last month through two expenditures — a $174 meal reimbursement to Francois Illas, a partner at lobbying firm Converge Public Strategies, and a $78 payment to fundraising platform Anedot.

District 12 covers part of western Miami-Dade, including Doral and the municipalities of Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Medley, Sweetwater, Virginia Gardens and a large portion of the county’s unincorporated area.

Diaz, a former Mayor of Sweetwater who has served on the Miami-Dade Commission since 2002, is rumored to be planning a run to again lead the city, his longtime home.

The two men were at odds over a business-rich area that generates more than $1 million in annual tax revenue for the county and contains distribution centers for Amazon, Goya Foods, UPS and John Deere.

Both Doral and Sweetwater applied to annex the area, but Diaz in July succeeded in passing a fast-tracked ordinance imposing new restrictions blocking Sweetwater — but not Doral — from being able to absorb the area.

On Dec. 1, the Miami-Dade Commission, which Diaz chairs, gave a final OK to Sweetwater’s annexation of the two-square-mile area.