The campaigning for state seats in this year’s election has begun in earnest. Looks like the first meet and greet of the season is in Coral Gables Tuesday.
Four Democrat candidates for state office will be there for a Q&A at the Coral Gables Democratic Club’s monthly meeting. Among them, only State Rep. Michael Grieco — now running for state senate — has already been elected. He is challenging Republican incumbent Ileana Garcia in Florida Senate District 36.
Let’s see if Garcia can do as well when there’s not a ringer in the race helping her, hmmmm?
Janelle Perez, who is running for Senate in District 38, Adam Benna, running for State House in District 114 and AJ D’Amico, running in House District 113, will also be there to tell us what in the world made them do this and why we should vote for them anyway.
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Perez, a cancer survivor, healthcare executive and LGBTQ community defender, was originally running for congress against Maria Elvira Salazar, but switched to the state senate when, she said, she saw the 2022 legislature attack women’s rights. Her first sights were on taking out Garcia before she switched to the open seat in SD38.
So far, Perez — who has raised almost $70,000, according to the latest campaign reports through February — is the only Dem who’s shown interest in the seat. But she is also party darling Christian Ulvert‘s client, after all, so a primary is unlikely.
She may have to face Republican Vicky Lopez in November. Lopez announced in March and loaned herself $50,000 for the campaign. Longtime political lackey Alina Garcia was also in that seat before she moved to State House 115, where she still has a primary, but perhaps not as competitive.
Benna is a South Miami attorney challenging Demi Busatta Cabrera, who was elected in the open seat in 2020. Redistricting could affect that race and help Benna. He also has major support from electeds and formers, according to the host committee of his campaign kick-off, including former congresswoman Donna Shalala, former state reps Annie Betancourt and JC Planas, mayors Raul Valdes-Fauli of Coral Gables, Phillip Stoddard of South Miami and Cindy Lerner of Pinecrest and Sen. Shevrin Jones, among others.
Read related: Alina Garcia switches over to House seat where Vance Aloupis walks away
D’Amico is also an attorney and self admitted “millennial” with some doe-eyed ideas about government, according to his website. He wants to succeed State Rep. Nick Duran (who may run for Miami city commission) in 113. But unlike Benna, D’Amico — who also has Shalala’s endorsement — already could be facing a primary as there is another Democrat, Andres Althabe, also raising money for this race.
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There is still time for candidates to drop in or drop out of these races as qualifying doesn’t start until the second full week in June.
But Tuesday gives voters in these districts — which include not just Coral Gables but also South Miami, Pinecrest, Key Biscayne and Coconut Grove — an early chance to get a feel for the Democrat bench this year.
There’s a happy hour that starts at 6, half an hour before the speakers, to get us primed. The event is at Books & Books in Coral Gables, 265 Aragon Avenue. Masks are optional.
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