Vote For Eileen Higgins, County Commission District 5 ... by gimleteye

Democrat Eileen Higgins is taking on the wife of former county commissioner Bruno Barreiro in a June 19th runoff for District 5. Barreiro is another pair of hands, holding down taxpayers under water.

News arrives from the Miami Herald, that her husband's Congressional committee has donated $100,000 to his wife's campaign; making donors to Barreiro's bid the biggest donors to his wife.

How fucked up is that?

There is only ONE Point to know about Bruno Barreiro's run as a county commissioner: he was a reliable pro-development vote at every single turn that lead to the rampant traffic and chaotic growth that is imposing billions in unabsorbed costs on Miami-Dade taxpayers.

In other words, he was -- on the dais -- a mumbling disaster. Eye On Miami frequently cited Barreiro as a charter member of the "unreformable majority" of the county commission. (We strongly encourage District 5 voters to read our archive on Barreiro: it's a doozy.) The Herald report, in fact, cited Barreiro's "reliability" to the donor class.

Here is to hoping that District 5 voters get the point: we need an antidote to the political party that brought us Donald Trump, but we also need a practical voice of reason and sound common sense to strengthen the chance for meaningful change in Miami-Dade County.

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Eileen Higgins: County Commission District 5 ! ... by gimleteye

Defying conventional wisdom, first time candidate and Democrat, Eileen Higgins, defeated better known Republican rivals in a non-partisan primary race for the county district including Miami Beach and a swath of Little Havana including surrounding neighborhoods. This is a huge win for Higgins, who political operatives tried to squeeze out with a field of Republican rivals and instead topped them all. The vote between Higgins and runner-up Barreiro -- wife of the incumbent who surrendered his seat --  is scheduled for June 19.

The Miami Herald reports: "Newcomer Eileen Higgins rode a wave of support from the Democratic Party to take first place in Tuesday's election to replace Miami-Dade Commissioner Bruno Barreiro and will face the former commissioner's wife, Republican Zoraida Barreiro, in a runoff election next month for the non-partisan seat. Both candidates eliminated former state senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who finished third. With all precincts reporting shortly before 9 p.m.. Higgins held nearly 35 percent of the vote, followed by Barreiro at 33 percent, with 222 votes separating them. Diaz de la Portilla was in third with 27 percent, followed by former television actor Carlos Garin with less than 5 percent." Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article211612369.html#storylink=cpy

This is a huge result for Democrats and a bellweather for voters fed up with treasonous behavior in the White House and the protection of Trump provided by Republican leaders in Congress. Nation before party. Although county commission races are "non-partisan", the sour national mood around Trump and grifters inside and outside the White House means all bets are off.

Contribute to Eileen Higgins campaign, by clicking here.

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District 5 County Commission: Eileen Higgins ... by gimleteye

For many years, Miami Beach and the western edges of District 5 was under-served by Bruno Barreiro, whose place was cemented by campaign contributors from the development supply chain for his reliable affirmative votes on suburban sprawl.

Today's election is the rare instance (noted by Doug Hanks in the Miami Herald) of a county commissioner surrendering his/her seat and leaving a vacancy.

If you live in District 5, please vote Eileen Higgins. Read this interesting analysis of the district and candidates at MCI Maps.

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Barreiro resigns: a mystery how and why he was ever elected in the first place ... by gimleteye

Bruno Barreiro resigned yesterday from the Miami-Dade County Commission. Barreiro had represented Miami Beach since 1998. For anyone who interacted with him on legislative matters, it was a mystery he was elected in the first place. Trying to talk to Barreiro was like addressing a cotton ball.

Name recognition played a part in his success -- maybe constituent services -- , but for the most part Bruno (who long ago, EOM dubbed "Dim") was acquiescent and pliable to trade association, lobbyists, and campaign contributors from the Great Destroyers. Bruno was the kind of politician who believed that paying twenty five dollars for a membership to the Audubon Society qualified one as an "environmentalist".

On soft issues, Bruno talked the talk but on hard issues, especially when it came to supporting development in Miami's metastasizing suburbs, Bruno was a reliable affirmative vote. We called him a charter member of the Unreformable Majority.

Maybe Barreiro will return to the county commission once it becomes clear like it did to Joe Martinez, that being "respected" at County Hall isn't so bad after all. For now, we wonder if anyone told Bruno or his contributors that the congressional seat he is seeking is for Democrats to lose. Or, that Trump's negatives have launched a tsunami across Republican political fortunes.

One thing for sure: Democratic spending in the crowded primary is going to have their candidate scrambling for the general.

Barreiro resigns, plans to run for Congress
BY DAVID SMILEY
dsmiley@miamiherald.com

March 31, 2018 07:46 PM
Florida’s newly amended resign-to-run law claimed its first casualty Saturday when Miami-Dade Commissioner Bruno Barreiro resigned his seat in order to run for Congress.

In a letter to Miami-Dade’s supervisor of elections and its clerk of courts, Barreiro announced he was giving up the position he has held since 1998 as he prepares for an August primary to claim the seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. In an unexpected wrinkle, Barreiro said he was giving up his commission seat immediately.

“As you know, [Friday] Governor Scott signed to reinstate the Resign to Run law, therefore, I hereby resign my office as Miami Dade County Commissioner for District 5 effective immediately,” Barreiro wrote.

Read more here: 

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