While there will be several candidates in the race to replace Mayor Carlos Gimenez (R) as the Miami-Dade County’s mayor, but the race looks like it will boil down to two candidates, current Miami-Dade County Commissioner Esteban “Stevie” Bovo (R) and former County Mayor Alex Penelas (D).
Bovo announced his intention to run for mayor at Casa Marin in Hialeah on Monday and would be formally turning in his candidate paperwork today, Tuesday.
Bovo, who was introduced by his wife Viviana, said he would be focused on the growing transportation issue in the county, including the expansion of rail, and on the ominous sea level rise that is causing streets flood.
In addition, Bovo said that he would be tackling the unbearable Miami commuter traffic problem, saying that he would "examine the opportunity to expand some road and extend some road areas," and suggested that maybe local government should "incentivize businesses to relocate to other parts of the county" in an effort to "move the traffic counter to what it is today."
Penelas, who has raised a cool $1 million in his political action committee, is expected to announce his candidacy in the coming weeks.
While no one is dismissing Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava (D), who has raised about the same amount of campaign dollars as Penelas, the media and political operatives are already stretching out the canvas for a Bovo vs. Penelas Lucha libre cage match next November.
