Jesse Scheckner
Michael Bay, the blockbuster filmmaker behind Miami-based box office hits like the “Bad Boys” franchise and “Pain & Gain,” is backing Assistant Miami-Dade Police Director Rosie Cordero-Stutz for Sheriff.
Bay confirmed his support of Cordero-Stutz, a Republican, for the county’s top cop job in a video her campaign posted to Instagram.
“This is a serious message,” he said. “As a Miami resident, I want you all to vote for Rosie, who is running for Sheriff. She’s been on the force for 28 years … and I know police, and she’s great.”
Bay then turned the camera on Cordero-Stutz, who summarized her career for viewers.
“I’ve grown up on these streets,” she said. “I was an officer. I was a detective. I was a sergeant, lieutenant-major and my current assignment as Assistant Director (where) I command homicide, robbery, special victims, warrants, cyber, homeland security. And I’m running for Sheriff of Miami-Dade County.”
Bay, who is registered to vote without party affiliation, has described himself as “a political person” with “views about America,” but that he doesn’t “feel the need to go out and tell people what to believe in politically.” Many of his films nevertheless present themes and imagery that appeal to conservative and libertarian ideals.
He’s been more politically vocal this cycle too, and in May appeared in a one-minute video posted to X urging state and local policymakers to do more to incentivize film productions in Miami.
The nod from Bay on Tuesday joins others from Republicans including Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, U.S. Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart and Carlos Giménez, 27 current Florida Sheriffs, former Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez and Miami-Dade Commissioners Kevin Cabrera, René García, Rob Gonzalez and Anthony Rodriguez.
Groups supporting Cordero-Stutz include the International Union of Police Associations, Florida Fraternal Order of Police and Hispanic Police Officers Association.
Two Democrats have also voiced support for her: former Miami-Dade Commissioner Sally Heyman, who previously worked for the Miami and Miami Beach Police Departments, and ex-Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine.
Cordero-Stutz is facing Democratic Miami-Dade Chief of Public Safety James Reyes for the returning Sheriff job. Reyes worked for more than two decades at the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. He’s worked in Miami-Dade for about two years and in his current role oversees the county’s Police, Fire Rescue and Corrections Departments.
Miami-Dade voters haven’t elected a Sheriff since 1966, when the county eliminated the position after a grand jury found rampant corruption within the Office and indicted the Sheriff then, Talmadge “T.A.” Buchanan, for perjury and failure to report campaign contributions. Today, Miami-Dade stands as the only county in Florida without an elected Sheriff.
That will soon change, due to a 2018 referendum in which 58% of Miami-Dade voters joined a statewide supermajority in approving a constitutional amendment requiring that Miami-Dade join Florida’s other 66 counties in having an elected Sheriff by January.
Cordero-Stutz beat 10 other Republicans in the Aug. 20 Primary, when Reyes beat three fellow Democrats by a landslide.
The General Election is on Nov. 5.
