It’s been decades since power shifted this much in Miami-Dade. What’s next?

It’s been decades since power shifted this much in Miami-Dade. What’s next?

Term limits voters imposed in 2012 are days away from forcing retirements, creating a churn in power atop county government not seen since the 1990s. Along with a new mayor after Gimenez’s nine years in office, Miami-Dade will see five new commissioners take office Nov. 17, and a sixth set to arrive by early 2021 once Levine Cava’s seat is filled.

That still leaves seven incumbents until the next wave of open seats arrives with the 2022 commission elections. In a county where incumbents rarely lose, the turnover has no precedent under the modern system of Miami-Dade government created in 1992 when a judge abolished countywide commission elections.

At Monday’s three-hour farewell ceremony held in a cavernous Port Miami terminal, commissioner Dennis Moss recalled a teenage intern asking for a meeting. Moss agreed and the young man told him: “One day I’m going to be sitting in your seat. And I’m going to be the District 9 commissioner.”

Kionne McGhee was right. Now 42 and the outgoing Democratic leader of the Florida House, McGhee won the District 9 seat Tuesday with Moss’ endorsement.

Three sitting elected officials take commission seats on the 17th.

They are McGhee; Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert, replacing Barbara Jordan, who has held the District 1 seat for 16 years; and Miami City Commissioner Keon Hardemon, replacing board Chairwoman Audrey Edmonson, who represented downtown Miami and neighborhoods north of it for 15 years as the District 3 commissioner.

The other two new commissioners held office before: former school board member Raquel Regalado, replacing Xavier Suarez after nine years as the District 7 commissioner representing parts of Miami and areas south of the city; and René García, a former state senator replacing Esteban “Steve” Bovo Jr., leaving the Hialeah-area District 13 seat after nine years.

Daniella Levine Cava won the mayoral election against Steve Bovo, a Republican, in a contest that saw both candidates amplify party loyalty.

Though Levine Cava was required to resign her seat to run for mayor, as a commissioner from an even-numbered district she still had two years left in her second term before being required to leave. Levine Cava takes office in November 2020.

The Miami Herald, It’s been decades since power shifted this much in Miami-Dade. What’s next?, (Nov. 6, 2020, 6:35 PM) https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article247003572.html

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Luis is an experienced procurement lawyer and Miami lobbyist serving elected officials, businesses, international clients, and trade associations. He regularly appears before local and state government in order to advance complex objectives for clients against competing interests. He has weathered various competitive processes in Florida including Home Rule Charter Amendments, Recalls, Local, State and Federal campaigns.