Jesse Scheckner
Miami-Dade Public Safety Chief James Reyes has now raised more than $550,000 toward his bid to be the county’s first elected Sheriff since the 1960s, his campaign says.
That includes $150,000 raised since April 1.
Official fundraising reports from Reyes and 16 others running to be Miami-Dade’s top cop are due June 10. The qualifying deadline is June 14.
“As we close another successful fundraising quarter, I am deeply grateful for the unwavering support our community continues to show,” Reyes said in a statement.
“This level of early support reaffirms our shared commitment to safety and prosperity in Miami-Dade. With each contribution, we strengthen our ability to reach voters in every corner of the county, and to build a Sheriff’s office that prioritizes transparency, integrity, and public safety above all else.”
Reyes, a Democrat who filed to run in January, has worked in law enforcement for almost a quarter-century He spent nearly more than 22 years with the Broward Sheriff’s Office, including four years as its Executive Director. In January 2023, he joined Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s administration as Director of the county’s Corrections and Rehabilitation Department.
Levine Cava promoted him to Public Safety Chief — a role in which he oversees the Police, Fire Rescue and Corrections departments — in November, less than a month after Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez dropped out of the Sheriff’s race following an unsuccessful suicide attempt.
She has since endorsed Reyes for the Sheriff job. So have many other local leaders, including embattled Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony, and advocacy organizations like AFSCME Florida.
Miami-Dade hasn’t had an elected Sheriff since 1966, when voters there eliminated the position after a grand jury report revealed rampant corruption within the Department. Instead, the county Mayor serves as the de facto Sheriff and has since had an appointed Police Director or Chief of Public Safety who reports to them.
In 2018, 58% of Miami-Dade voters joined a statewide supermajority in approving a constitutional amendment requiring all 67 counties in Florida to have an elected Sheriff, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser and Clerk of Courts by early 2025.
Reyes is one of four Democrats running for Sheriff. His Primary opponents include Miami-Dade Police Maj. John Barrow, former federal agent Susan Khoury and retired Miami-Dade Police Lt. Rickey Mitchell.
Thirteen Republicans are currently listed as running: Iggy Alvarez, Jose Aragu, Jaspen Bishop, Rosie Cordero-Stutz, Ruamen DelaRua, Alex Fornet, Jeffrey Giordano, Mario Knapp, Orly Lopez, Rolando Riera¸ John Rivera, Ernie Rodriguez and Joe Sanchez.
All are current or former law enforcement professionals. Ex-Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez, whom Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended from office in 2022 after his arrest on unlawful compensation charges, was poised to announce his candidacy Tuesday morning.
Internal polling Reyes’ campaign adviser released last week shows Reyes is the most popular among the active Sheriff candidates and that Sanchez, a Florida State Trooper and former Miami City Commissioner, is the favorite to win the Republican Primary.
That’s despite an endorsement Donald Trump gave to Cordero-Stutz, an Assistant Director of the Miami-Dade Police Department.
Reyes led all candidates in fundraising in the first quarter of 2024, stacking $378,000 between his campaign account and political committee. Sanchez finished ahead on the Republican side with a $212,500 haul.
The Primary Election is on Aug. 20, followed by the General Election on Nov. 5.
