Jesse Scheckner
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava is only facing one (likely underfinanced) opponent so far in her bid to retain office next year, but she’s already fundraising like deep-pocketed interests are after her job.
On Wednesday, Levine Cava announced that she raised $1.1 million in March, the first month of her campaign.
Combined with carry-over funds from her political committee, Our Democracy, she has about $1.25 million to kick off the election cycle.
In a statement, Levine Cava — Miami-Dade’s first woman Mayor and the first Jewish person to hold the job — expressed gratitude for the early support she’s receiving. A press note for her campaign said her March fundraising came through more than 1,000 contributions, including 600 from grassroots donors who gave $100 or less.
“We are bringing residents together from across Miami-Dade County who know I will continue to deliver results — taking on our challenges with pragmatic solutions,” she said.
“This early support is a true testament of how we can find common ground on our shared values so we can win the future. I will continue to govern and campaign on the promise I made a decade ago in my first campaign: demonstrate vision, lead with integrity and deliver results. Together, we will continue to do just that.”
After filing to run for re-election March 1, Levine Cava was unopposed for two weeks, during which she filled several key campaign staff posts.
Then on March 15, she received a challenge from Miami native Miguel “el Skipper” Quintero, a former car salesman, restaurateur, actor and dancer who now operates a trapeze school from his home in the county’s Pinewood neighborhood.
Quintero — a first-time candidate and self-described “First Amendment auditor” who posts videos to YouTube of himself speaking with county officials, including Levine Cava — said he’s running to draw attention to code enforcement issues he’s had with the county.
Both are registered Democrats.
Levine Cava, meanwhile, has years of public service in elected office and as a nonprofit director to lean on. She also has many deep-pocketed donors, including auto magnate Alan Potamkin, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and Miami-headquartered development giant Florida East Coast Industries, among others.
She detailed many of her first-term accomplishments, including record traffic at Miami International Airport and PortMiami, “historic investments” in septic-to-sewer conversions, numerous affordable housing initiatives and the passage of the county’s first tenants’ bill of rights, during her first in-person State of the County address in January.
During the speech, the Mayor also announced a new, $9 million innovation fund to provide grants to local companies working on vital county issues. She also highlighted a 1% cut on property taxes countywide and Miami-Dade’s 1.5% unemployment rate.
She said Wednesday she plans to build on the work she’s done in a second four-year term.
“When I ran for Mayor in 2020, I made a promise to build a government that listens, responds, and innovates for what’s to come,” she said. “Today, we are leading the way for entrepreneurs, exiles, dreamers and doers in Miami-Dade, who are looking for leaders to make their lives better and prepare for the future.”
Candidate fundraising reports for March are due Monday.
