Jesse Scheckner
Personal injury lawyer Mike Redondo isn’t wasting time establishing himself as a financial heavy hitter in the Special Election race for the vacant seat representing House District 118 in Miami-Dade County.
Since launching his bid June 19 to succeed former Republican state Rep. Juan Fernandez-Barquin, he’s raised more than $71,000 — a 12-day haul that dwarfs the fundraising of two fellow GOP candidates vying for HD 118.
He spent nothing during that period, according to his filings with the Division of Elections.
Of the 45 personal checks Redondo accepted last month ranging from $1 to $1,000 in value, most came from fellow members of the legal profession. Noteworthy contributions included $1,000 from former U.S. Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart, $500 from Daniel Díaz-Balart, his son, and $100 from Giovanni Castro, who last year became public policy manager for Uber after working for Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and former Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera.
Redondo’s largest gain also reflects his favor within his party: $25,000 from the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee. Miami Rep. Daniel Perez, who is in line to be the next House Speaker, has endorsed Redondo for HD 118.
He also received $1,000 checks from several political committees, including $4,000 from groups associated with the Florida Justice Association and $1,000 apiece from the political committees of Coral Gables Republican Rep. Demi Busatta Cabrera and her husband, Miami-Dade Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera.
Five subsidiaries of sugar giant Florida Crystals gave a combined $5,000.
Three anesthesiology-related political committees led by Jacksonville sleep doctor John Doyle chipped in $3,000.
Lobbying firms gave too. Johnson & Blanton donated $3,000 directly and through two subsidiaries. GrayRobinson and Miami-based Marin & Sons each gave $1,000.
So far, only Republicans are running to replace Fernandez-Barquin, a lawyer in private life and three-term state lawmaker whom Gov. Ron DeSantis last month appointed to be Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts and Comptroller after the death of longtime Clerk Harvey Ruvin on New Year’s Eve.
Also running for the job are entrepreneur Ernie Thomas, a former appointed member of the Miami-Dade Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust and Miami-Dade Planning Advisory Board, and Miami Beach firefighter Christian Chavez.
Thomas is the only one of the two to report any fundraising: a $1,000 check from local real estate company Jensgrove Development LLC.
HD 118 covers a narrow strip of unincorporated Miami-Dade, including the neighborhoods of Kendall, Perrine, Sunset and Westchester.
DeSantis has yet to announce when the Special Election for the district seat will take place.
Candidates faced a Monday deadline to report all campaign finance activity through June 30.
