Jesse Scheckner
Republican Miami-Dade Police Maj. Jose Aragu’s campaign for county Sheriff more than doubled its fundraising total this month, thanks to a big assist from billionaire Ken Griffin.
Griffin, the CEO of hedge fund Citadel, gave Aragu’s political committee $300,000 on July 11. Aragu added $67,500 from other sources between June 1 and July 12.
That brings his gains since entering the race in October to $550,000.
Griffin, a self-described “(Ronald) Reagan Republican,” previously donated $500,000 to Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, a Democrat. But he skipped over — at least for now — Levine Cava’s preferred Sheriff candidate, James Reyes, a longtime Broward County Sheriff’s Office executive whom she recruited last year and promoted to oversee Miami-Dade’s Police, Fire Rescue and Corrections Departments.
Reyes leads all candidates in cash inflow with $706,000 collected since he jumped into the crowded race in January.
Aragu said he spoke with Griffin’s team, and they decided to support his candidacy.
“They considered the totality of the candidates, and I was selected based on my education, preparation and experience,” he told Florida Politics, adding that he is “very humbled by Mr. Griffin and his great donation to my campaign.”
In a statement Thursday, Griffin said Aragu “knows what is needed to keep Miami-Dade families safe.”
“As a dedicated member of our police force for more than two decades, he will bring the experience and respect that Miami-Dade deserves in our county’s Sheriff,” he said. “I am confident his leadership will make Miami-Dade County a safer and more prosperous community for all its resdients.”
Aragu spent more than $123,000 between June 1 and July 12, leaving himself with $333,000.
Most of his spending ($98,500) covered advertising services from Doral Digital Reprographics, a local media company specializing in marketing, branding and print solutions.
The second-biggest fundraiser in the race during the period was former Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez, a Republican who entered the Sheriff’s race June 6 after years of hinting at a run.
Martinez stacked almost $238,000 in a month and a week through his campaign account and political committee, Let’s Move Forward, which has been adding funds since January 2021.
He received a blend of personal checks, donations through political committees and corporate contributions, many from real estate interests.
Retired Major League Baseball player Evan Longoria gave him $100. Lawyer Ben Kuehne, who is defending Martinez against felony charges of accepting unlawful compensation while serving as a public official, donated $1,000.
Martinez, through his political committee, paid Kuehne’s law firm $287,000 in October.
Prosecutors say Martinez, whom Gov. Ron DeSantis removed from office in September 2022, broke the law by sponsoring county legislation that would have benefited a strip mall owner and tenant in exchange for $15,000 the former paid him. Martinez has denied all wrongdoing and called the case “politically motivated.”
He said the payments were for prior consulting work and withdrew the measure before the County Commission voted on it.
Between June 1 and mid-July, Martinez received $35,000 from Miami-based Adonel Concrete Corp. and companies tied to it, and $25,000 from Miami-headquartered real estate investment firm CREI Holdings and the Comprehensive Care Group in Doral.
A Bolder Florida, the political committee of Miami-Dade Commission Vice Chair Anthony Rodriguez, a Republican and former Representative, gave $25,000 too. But Martinez also gave $80,000 to Rodriguez in the same period.
Altogether, Martinez spent $207,000 from June 1 to July 12. He had $297,500 left just over a month before the Primary.
His other spending included close to $60,000 for signs, mailers and door hangers; $40,500 for ad buys through Miami-based Groundswell Strategies; $10,000 for tickets and sponsorship at a Republican Party of Florida event last month; and a $5,000 donation to the political committee of Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, a Democrat who coasted into a second and final full term this year after no one filed to run against her.
Reyes again led a four-person Democratic Primary field in fundraising with more than $76,000 collected between June and mid-July through his campaign account and political committee, Miami-Dade Safe & Secure.
He had $178,000 left in his coffers after spending $257,000.
Like Martinez, Reyes benefitted from a blend of donation types. He got personal checks of $16,500 from Geno Roefaro, President and CEO of the police-assisting SaferWatch app, and $10,000 from Badia Spices CEO Joseph Badia.
A Stronger Florida, a political committee chaired by Rubin Turnbull and Associates Director of Operations Celeste Camm, gave $20,000. Democracy and Freedom, a 2022 Democratic candidate for Senate now serving as Interim Executive Director LGBTQ group LPAC, chipped in $4,000.
Close to half of Reyes’ spending went to companies owned by his Campaign Manager, Christian Ulvert, who also runs Levine Cava’s campaign, ran Higgins’ campaign and is behind many other candidates in the state.
Ulvert’s main firm, EDGE Communications, received $115,000 for consulting, outreach, staffing and advertising. Win Canvas LLC, which Ulvert also runs, got another $9,000 for staffing and outreach.
Reyes also paid $72,000 to MDW Communications for direct mail and a retainer, $15,000 to G.W. Strategies for fundraising consulting, and $6,000 to CVS Comms for communication services.
Eight other candidates joined Aragu, Martinez and Reyes in having raised six figures so far. They include:
— Republican Joe Sanchez, a longtime Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson and former Miami City Commissioner. He raised $36,000 in the period, $550,000 since January and crossed July’s halfway mark with $138,500 left in his accounts.
— Republican Assistant Miami-Dade Police Director Rosie Cordero-Stutz. She raised $53,000 in the period, $388,000 since October and had $155,000 left by mid-July.
— Retired Republican Miami-Dade Police Maj. Mario Knapp. He collected $49,000 in the period, $353,000 since June 2023 and had $95,000 remaining by July 12.
— Retired Democratic Miami-Dade Police Lt. Rickey Mitchell, a longtime funeral home owner, who has added $295,000 to his campaign since March 2023, an overwhelming share of which was his money. He had $125,000 by the end of last period, when he raised just over $1,600.
— Republican Miami-Dade Police Lt. Ernie Rodriguez. He’s raised $161,000 since filing in September, including $7,000 last period, and had $24,000 by mid-July.
— Republican cop-turned-lawyer Iggy Alvarez, who added $14,000 to his war chest last period and $256,000 since filing in October. He had $153,000 left on July 12.
— Republican John Rivera, a retired Miami-Dade Police Sergeant and former police union President. He’s raised $144,500 since October, including $400 last period, and had $55,000 left on July 12.
— Democratic Miami-Dade Police Maj. John Barrow. He raised $31,000 last period, $105,000 since September and held $23,000 two weeks ago.
Four candidates have raised five figures:
— Democratic former federal agent Susan Khoury. She’s added $57,000 to her campaign since filing in September, most of it from her bank account, including $13,000 last quarter, which she ended with $32,000 left to spend.
— Republican Miami City Police Ruamen DelaRua, who previously served for 26 years with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, where he retired as a district commander. He raised $19,000 last period, and $38,000 since filing for the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s race in November 2022. By mid-July he had $1,156 left.
— Republican Alex Fornet, a retired Miami-Dade Police reserve officer. He raised a campaign-best $14,000 between June 1 and July 12, and $18,000 since he filed in September. So far, he’s only spent $1,176.
— Republican Jeffrey Giordano, a former Miami City Police hostage negotiator, undercover officer, detective and public information officer. He raised $18,000 since filing in February, including $100 last period, and had $2,313 left by the middle of July.
Combined, the 15 candidates for Miami-Dade Sheriff have raised $3.85 million and spent $1.26 million.
The Primary is on Aug. 20, followed by the General Election on Nov. 5.
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Editor’s note: This report was updated to include a statement from Ken Griffin.
