Miami-Dade: A County Ruled by Political Dynasties Before and After 2025.
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Miami-Dade: A County Ruled by Political Dynasties Before and After 2025. As the Crisis Deepens. The Day Miami-Dade Lost Its Shame

For decades, Miami-Dade County has been the stage for a repetitive play: the same last names, the same promises, the same failures. A political elite formed by family clans rotating power across municipal, county, state, and even judicial positions. Meanwhile, the population—progressively poorer, displaced, and disillusioned—faces unaffordable rents, systemic corruption, and institutional abandonment.

The Dynasties of Power: Who Are They and How Long Have They Been Around?

  • Alex Díaz de la Portilla: Former state senator and Miami commissioner. Removed from office in 2023 due to a corruption scandal after being arrested for influence peddling, bribery, and money laundering. Although acquitted in 2024, his political network remains intact.
  • Joe Carollo: Over 40 years in power, has served as mayor and commissioner of Miami. Currently faces a lawsuit that could cost taxpayers millions for abuse of power against local business owners.
  • Tomás and Raquel Regalado: Tomás was Miami’s mayor (2009–2017); his daughter Raquel has served as county commissioner since 2020.
  • Francis Suárez: Son of former mayor Xavier Suárez, he’s been Miami mayor since 2017. In 2023, he accepted cryptocurrency payments from tech firms while advancing their interests as mayor.
  • Keon Hardemon: Former city commissioner, current county commissioner for District 3. His uncle, Reverend Billy Hardemon, was a commissioner in the 1990s. His family has held influence in Liberty City, Overtown, and Brownsville for over three decades. He currently manages millions in ARPA funds and has been criticized for spending $560,000 renaming streets after songs like “City Girls Street” and “Trick Love the Kids Terrace,” while residents live among septic tanks and crumbling infrastructure.
  • Pepe Díaz: Former county commissioner and now mayor of Sweetwater. His administration has been marked by secrecy around the trailer park eviction process that affected more than 900 families. The decision appears to have followed secret negotiations with developers just before Christmas 2024.
  • Daniella Levine Cava: Current county mayor, has maintained a progressive civil rights-friendly profile, but her term has seen inaction in key cases, questionable contracts, and a climate of family favoritism. Her daughter, Abigail Cava, is embedded in strategic political circles while the county suffers from basic service deficiencies and lack of transparency in ARPA fund usage.

Behind the discourse of equity, the same power structures operate, ensuring family succession.

Governments Without Visible Results

Statistics show life isn’t improving for everyday residents:

  • Over 60% of residents spend more than 30% of their income on rent.
  • Gentrification pushes thousands out of traditional neighborhoods: Little Havana, Allapattah, Liberty City.
  • Murals, parks, and aesthetic projects are prioritized over real solutions like affordable housing, water infrastructure, or public health.
  • In Liberty City, septic tanks are still in use while public funds go to urban cosmetics.

Where Is the Money?

  • Multi-million dollar contracts have been awarded to firms with no local roots and no transparent bidding process.
  • American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds—meant for social emergency relief—have been used for institutional propaganda and personal agendas.

How many families could have been saved from eviction? How many children could have a safe bed tonight?

Instead of building castles in the air—or in this case, illuminated bridges—the county government could have invested in the most urgent human right: housing.

This bridge doesn’t connect people. It disconnects politicians from reality.

And all with taxpayer money… many of whom don’t even have a safe place to sleep. Isn’t this institutional mockery?

Enough with concrete illusions. Enough with “beautifying” a city that is crumbling inside.

While they sell us the dream of a futuristic Miami-Dade, they’re robbing us of the present.

Connect with reality. Not with a bridge.

How Many Affordable Homes Could Be Built in Miami-Dade with $840 Million?

Here’s a clear chart answering the question:

Depending on unit cost:

  • At $200,000 per unit: 4,200 homes.
  • At $250,000 per unit: 3,360 homes.
  • At $300,000 per unit: 2,800 homes.

Source: Estimates based on average construction costs in South Florida, compiled by Florida Housing Coalition and HUD reports on multifamily urban developments.

Instead, the county has prioritized spending on opaque projects, like the $560,000 street renaming under Keon Hardemon. Hardemon was accused of blocking funds to community organizations.

More than $2 million a year is used for cultural events and celebrations which, though valid in another context, today feel like an insult in the face of a housing emergency.

Miami-Dade: A County Ruled by Political Dynasties Before and After 2025.Miami-Dade: Un Condado Gobernado por Dinastías Políticas desde antes y luego del 2025

No More Benefit of the Doubt. “Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire.”

For years, Miami-Dade has indulged in a dangerous habit: giving the benefit of the doubt to recycled politicians—some of them under formal investigation. That phase is over. We can’t afford another “let’s see if they get it right this time.”

For decades, Miami-Dade voters have witnessed hereditary politics recycling names, offices, and promises. Today, amid scandals, investigations, and favoritism piling up like stagnant water, we can no longer look the other way.

That old saying—“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire”—perfectly sums up the political climate in this county. If a politician carries accusations, controversies, or shady ties, it’s not by accident. It’s a reflection of a power structure that can no longer hide its flaws.

No more second chances. They’ve had too many.

Sound familiar?

  • “The case is still open.”
  • “He was acquitted due to lack of evidence.”
  • “It was an administrative misunderstanding.”
  • “He already served his sanction.”
  • “He knows how the system works.”

Enough. No more excuses.

A politician under investigation should not represent you. A public official who used their post to benefit family or allies does not deserve your vote. No organization handling public funds should be led by someone arrested, investigated, or named in a corruption case. Period.

Miami-Dade can no longer keep giving power to people with shady track records. Recent history confirms this:

  • Arrested representatives later reinstated as if nothing happened.
  • Public contracts signed with inexperienced firms but with the “right contacts.”
  • Social aid funds diverted to campaigns, friends, and propaganda.

Meanwhile, people are left without homes, clean water, or answers.

The Same Names, the Same Game. At County and Municipal Levels.

Díaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Suárez, Regalado, Hardemon, Levine Cava… The list is long and familiar. They’ve occupied every seat: from Miami’s mayoralty to county commissions, the state Senate, and school boards. Today, many of them push their children, nephews, or protégés forward as if politics were a family legacy instead of a public responsibility.

Even Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, once seen as a “progressive alternative,” has fallen into the same pattern—elevating her daughter Abigail Cava into political circles while the county sinks in housing crisis, evictions, and impactless projects.

It’s Not Time to Tolerate. It’s Time to Renew. It’s Time to Say Enough.

This isn’t about ideology. It’s about civic dignity. The next chapter of Miami-Dade must not be written by the same hands that signed off its setbacks.

We need fresh blood, unbound from power, free of political debts, with no “godfathers” to repay. New people, unafraid. Clean people.

Government cleaning doesn’t start in court. It starts at the ballot box. And you decide who stays. And who, finally, leaves.

The Sweetwater Case: Eviction and Secrecy

The Sweetwater trailer park case, where more than 900 families were evicted after covert negotiations between developers and local officials, symbolizes institutional abuse. Residents weren’t notified until days before Christmas, in a move now being investigated as a forced, non-participatory eviction.

The Voter Is Also Responsible.

Change won’t come from a judge or prosecutor. It comes from the ballot box.

And it only happens when citizens break the cycle and dare to vote differently.

Election after election, voters keep choosing the same people. Why? Misinformation, apathy, or dependence on favors. But the question is direct: what have these politicians done for you? For your neighborhood? For your kids?

In the current political landscape of Miami-Dade, a notable mobility can be observed between municipal and county positions, with several officials seeking to change roles in the 2025 elections. Below are some of the most prominent cases:

From County Commission to City Mayoral Seats

Eileen Higgins

Eileen Higgins has served as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner since 2018. She has officially announced her candidacy for Mayor of the City of Miami in the November 2025 elections. During her tenure, she has led initiatives focused on affordable housing, support for small businesses, and expansion of public transportation.
Source: WLRN

René García

René García began his political career as a councilman in Hialeah and later served in both the Florida House and Senate. He has been a Miami-Dade County Commissioner since 2020. On April 1, 2025, he formally announced his candidacy for Mayor of Hialeah, following Esteban “Steve” Bovo’s decision not to seek re-election.
Source: Political Cortadito

However, his candidacy has been the subject of debate. Some political analysts suggest it may be a strategy to discourage other potential candidates, such as former councilman Bryan Calvo, from entering the race. García has stated he is still evaluating whether his service is more needed at the county or city level and that he will make a final decision before the official filing deadline in July.
Source: Political Cortadito

Additionally, there is a reported connection between García and a $150,000 contract awarded to his friend and lobbyist Terrence “TC” Wolfe by the City of Hialeah. Although García has denied any conflict of interest, this relationship has raised questions regarding transparency and ethics in public administration.
Source: Political Cortadito

García’s potential bid for Mayor of Hialeah, along with the surrounding circumstances, reflect the complexities and challenges of local politics in Miami-Dade. It is essential that voters stay informed and actively participate in the electoral process to ensure representation that meets the true needs of the community.

Raquel Regalado

Raquel Regalado, current Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 7, has been mentioned as a possible candidate for Mayor of Miami in the 2025 elections. Although she has not officially declared her candidacy, her name has appeared in polling alongside other possible contenders such as former mayor Xavier Suárez and Commissioner Eileen Higgins.
Source: Political Cortadito

Regalado, daughter of former Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado, was re-elected in 2024 for a second term on the county commission, defeating former Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner. Her political career has focused on issues such as affordable housing, education, and infrastructure.
Source: Florida Politics

Though her candidacy has yet to be formalized, her polling presence and political profile make her a figure to watch in the city’s upcoming electoral landscape.

From Municipal Administration to County Commission

Natalie Milian Orbis

Previously Vice Mayor of the City of West Miami, Natalie Milian Orbis was appointed in May 2025 as the Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 6, filling the vacancy left by Kevin Marino Cabrera, who was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Panama. Orbis has expressed her intention to run for a full term in the August 2026 elections.
Source: Miami-Dade County

Rising and Returning to Power

Joe Carollo

Currently: Miami City Commissioner
Although he is involved in litigation over alleged abuse of power, his name appeared in the poll and he has not yet ruled out a run.

Alex Díaz de la Portilla

Former Miami City Commissioner (suspended)
Despite being arrested in 2023 on public corruption charges, his inclusion in the poll suggests he may still be proving his political viability. His network remains active, and a possible return cannot be ruled out.

Political Dynasties and Strategic Moves

José Regalado

José Regalado, son of former Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado and brother of County Commissioner Raquel Regalado, is running for the vacant District 4 seat on the Miami City Commission in a special election scheduled for June 3, 2025. His candidacy reflects the ongoing influence of political dynasties in the region.
Source: CBS News

These shifts highlight a trend of political recycling in Miami-Dade, where established figures seek to maintain or expand their influence across different public offices. This dynamic raises questions about political renewal and whether these changes truly reflect the evolving needs of the community.

For up-to-date information about elections and candidates, visit the official Miami-Dade Elections Department.

Miami-Dade Demands New Blood

Not just new names with old alliances. We need real citizens—honest, debt-free, untied from the power clans.

DOGE Comes to Miami-Dade: Our Plea as Citizens

We call on Governor Ron DeSantis and federal authorities to:

  • Audit the Elections Department.
  • Audit the entire Miami-Dade County government.
  • Investigate the origin of campaign funds.
  • Examine contracts awarded through family networks.
  • Audit where every county and municipal dollar goes.

This is not a conspiracy theory. It’s a widespread demand heard in every corner of the county.

No More Empty Promises

We don’t want more planters. Or more selfies. We want results:

  • A roof overhead.
  • Drinkable water.
  • Functional transport.
  • Fiscal justice.
  • Real representation.

Miami-Dade deserves more than political inheritances. It deserves renewed leadership with vision, courage, and real commitment.

“Local politics can no longer be the hereditary legacy of those who have already failed.”

Are you willing to keep voting for the same? Or will you chart a new course? Get informed with us

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