Jesse Scheckner
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava is throwing her support behind fellow nonprofit founder Marleine Bastien’s bid for the County Commission seat representing District 2.
In a Thursday press note, Levine Cava announced her endorsement of Bastien, whom she called a “good friend.”
“Marleine has been on the front lines of our community advocating for affordable housing, empowering women, and making neighborhoods safer,” she said in a statement. “Marleine will be a strong champion for District 2 residents, and I am excited to support her campaign.”
Bastien is competing in a runoff against North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime, a fellow Haitian immigrant, to succeed Miami-Dade Commissioner Jean Monestime, who must leave office in November due to term limits.
She is the executive director of Family Action Network Movement, a Miami-based nonprofit that helps low- to moderate-income families with a variety of services, including health care access, crisis and domestic violence intervention, job training and after-school programs.
The organization, which Bastien founded in 1991, also advocates for issues like affordable housing and immigration reform.
She said is “truly honored’ to be supported by Levine Cava, who founded the nonprofit Catalyst Miami decades before embarking on a successful political career. Bastien called the Mayor “a leader who is immensely respected throughout the community and has shown she cares deeply about getting things done for our residents.”
“She is a change maker and in less than two years as Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava has shown why so many across Miami-Dade County were ready to see her lead,” Bastien said. “I look forward to working together as we tackle the affordability crisis, address housing challenges, expand business opportunities, and create a strong economic agenda to bridge the economic gaps for the residents of District 2.”
Bastien and Bien-Aime emerged from a six-person Primary contest Aug. 23 with the most votes between them, but neither received enough support to win the race outright.
Miami-Dade law requires a County Commission candidate to receive more than half the votes cast during the Primary to avoid a runoff. Bastien and Bien-Aime scored 23.7% and 26.5% of the vote last month, respectively.
District 2 includes portions of Miami, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Opa-locka, Hialeah and the unincorporated neighborhoods of Liberty City, North Dade Central and Biscayne Gardens.
