Jesse Scheckner
Former Bay Harbor Islands Mayor Jordan Leonard’s bid to take the House District 106 seat hit 39 endorsements Tuesday with the addition of a handful more people and organizations backing his campaign.
The new roundup of supporters included Miami Sen. Jason Pizzo and Miami Beach Rep. Michael Grieco, whose nods mean Leonard now has the support of every state legislator currently representing the district.
He also received endorsements from North Bay Village Mayor Brent Latham, North Bay Village Commissioner Rachel Streitfeld and Metro-Dade Fire Fighters IAFF Local 1403, the union representing firefighters who service nine of the 10 municipalities within HD 106.
“The combined leadership of these individuals and the bravery of our firefighters is impressive,” Leonard’s campaign said in a statement.
“We are truly humbled by their support and endorsement to send Mayor Leonard to Tallahassee. With the overwhelming support of so many Democratic community leaders, one of the most respected unions in Florida and almost $350,000 raised to date, Mayor Leonard is the front-runner to represent House District 106.”
Leonard is a past president of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities and former board member of the Florida League of Cities and South Florida Regional Planning Council.
Judging by the wave of endorsements he’s garnered from local, county and municipal leaders, he’s maintained those ties well.
Outgoing Rep. Joe Geller in August endorsed Leonard, a fellow Democrat, to succeed him in the redrawn HD 106.
Other legislators supporting Leonard include Reps. Kevin Chambliss of Miami-Dade, James Bush III of Miami, Felicia Robinson of Miami Gardens and former Rep. Javier Fernández, who is now running for South Miami Mayor.
Among his county backers: Miami-Dade Public Defender Carlos Martinez and County Commissioners Oliver Gilbert III, Sally Heyman and Jean Monestime.
He’s also received endorsements from Bay Harbor Islands Mayor Joshua Fuller, Vice Mayor Elizabeth Tricoche and Council members Stephanie Bruder, Robert Yaffe, Molly Diallo, as well as former Mayor Linda Zilber; North Miami Beach Mayor Anthony DeFillipo, Commissioners Barbara Kramer and Fortuna Smukler, and former Commissioner Phyllis Smith; North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime, Vice Mayor Alix Desulme and former Council member Carol Keyes; Aventura Mayor Enid Weisman, Commissioner Saltzman Friedland and former Vice Mayor Howard Weinberg; North Bay Village Mayor Brent Latham and Commissioner Rachel Streitfeld; and Biscayne Park Mayor Virginia O’Halpin, El Portal Mayor Omarr Nickerson, Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris, Pembroke Pines Mayor Frank Ortis, Pinecrest Mayor Joseph Corradino, South Miami Mayor Sally Philips, Palm Beach State Attorney Dave Aronberg, Miami Shores Council member Crystal Wagar and former Sunny Isles Beach Mayor Larisa Svechin.
HD 106 runs along the Miami-Dade coast and includes all or part of the municipalities of Aventura, Bay Harbor Islands, Miami Beach, North Bay Village, North Miami Beach and Sunny Isles.
It is the successor to House District 100, a Democratically leaning district that Geller has represented since 2014.
Last week, Leonard became the lone Democratic candidate running there when former state Representative and current Miami Beach Commissioner David Richardson suspended his campaign for HD 106 to instead consider a run at the Miami-Dade County Commission.
Leonard will face the winner of a Republican Primary contest between former reality TV star Fabián Basabe and mortgage lender Wena “Lynn Su” Sutjapojnukul.
