MIAMI - Republican sheriff-elect Rosie Cordero-Stutz explained her reasoning for winning the Miami-Dade County sheriff's race over Democratic candidate James Reyes in a recent appearance on Fox & Friends First.
"Well, I think for me 28 years [of] service in my community. Currently, I'm the Assistant Director of Investigative Services for the Miami-Dade Police Department. I was very prepared for the position itself," Cordero-Stutz said. "Years ago when we went through this transition, I never thought I would run, but I quickly recognized that our community deserves someone that has the knowledge and skills to be able to transition safely into an Office of the Sheriff."
In the general election, Cordero-Stutz defeated Reyes 56%-44% to become the county's first top cop in nearly 60 years. Specifically, Cordero-Stutz received approximately 564,000 votes to Reyes' 448,000.
Before last Tuesday, Miami-Dade had an appointed "police director" since 1966. In 2018, Florida voters restored the elected sheriff position after passing Amendment 10.
With her victory, Cordero-Stutz became the first Hispanic woman to hold the position of sheriff in the State of Florida. Notably, Miami-Dade County has a 70% Hispanic population.
"I think it's important to recognize that it really does all stem from good old-fashioned hard work. We dedicate ourselves professionally, but to be able to be an example to young girls across the state, hopefully, across this country is pretty "cool" for lack of a better word," Cordero-Stutz said. "I grew up in New York City and never saw someone who looked like me in these kinds of positions so I think it's an important time."
Cordero-Stutz had outlined her plans if elected sheriff over the past several months, which included a crackdown on illegal immigration and bringing a "voice" back to policing.
"I definitely want to work on the re-organization, putting back some officers in patrol for visibility. Second is the expansion of our corruption units for investigation, working closer with our state attorney to make sure those cases come to full fruition," Cordero-Stutz said.
She also had promised to build relationships with community leaders, including Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who backed Reyes in the general election.
Cordero-Stutz earned support in her bid from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and President-elect Donald Trump. Also on the general election ticket, Trump carried Miami-Dade County by 11 points.
Among other priorities, Cordero-Stutz has vowed to fight against corruption within the Homeowners Association. She also has stressed improving responses to mental health calls and supporting her own department's mental wellness.
"We've had a lot of problems with our homeowners associations (HOA) and not honoring their positions on these boards, causing a lot of seniors specifically to lose their homes because of this victimization, so that's important to me as well," Cordero Stutz said.
