Jesse Scheckner
Florida’s largest teachers union is getting behind Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s bid to keep her office for four more years.
United Teachers of Dade (UTD), which represents some 24,000 school system employees, endorsed Levine Cava over five others seeking to supplant her as the county’s top official.
The UTD Executive Board unanimously chose to back her, a press note from the Mayor’s campaign said.
“UTD is proud to endorse and support our friend and a champion of our teachers and public education,” said UTD President Karla Hernández-Mats, a 2022 candidate for Lieutenant Governor.
“At a time when some politicians seek to make our teachers’ lives and jobs more challenging, Mayor Cava is a breath of fresh air for parents, educators and students.”
Levine Cava said in a statement that she is “honored” by UTD’s backing.
“I am humbled to have once again earned the support of our teachers and school personnel who are committed to educating the next generation,” setting our children up for success in the classroom and in life,” she said.
The UTD endorsement follows an announcement by Levine Cava’s campaign that she has collected enough signatures to again qualify for the Aug. 20 ballot without having to pay a fee.
It also joins nods from a passel of labor unions, advocacy organizations, 25 of Miami-Dade’s 34 municipal Mayors and local community leaders like Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell.
Five people are running against her in the technically nonpartisan contest. Three are Republican: Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid, GOP social media influencer Alex Otaola and actor Carlos Garín, who previously mounted unsuccessful bids for Congress and the Miami-Dade Commission.
Miguel “el Skipper” Quintero, a trapeze artist who received numerous citations for code violations at his home-based circus business, is the only other Democrat in the race.
Eddy Rojas, a cargo and transportation executive with no party affiliation, is also running.
Levine Cava, the first woman and Jewish person to serve as Miami-Dade Mayor, entered 2024 in a strong position to defend her job. She raised more than $3 million last year. She retained $2.3 million as of New Year’s Day.
Cid ended 2023 with $221,000 in campaign cash. Otaola had about $142,000. Quintero had less than $2,500.
Garín and Rojas filed to run at the end of January and reported no campaign finance activity yet.
All candidates for Mayor are competing against one another in the Aug. 20 Primary Election.
If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the two top vote-earners will face off in a runoff culminating in the Nov. 5 General Election.
