8 candidates for Miami Mayor to participate in weekend forum hosted by progressive groups
The Miami Times
By Jesse Scheckner
This article originally appeared in The Miami Times.
Miami City Hall
(Florida Politics)
A coalition of progressive organizations are hosting a mayoral candidate forum this weekend ahead of Miami’s Nov. 4 election, and eight of the 13 people actively running for the job are confirmed to participate.
The event, set for 6 p.m. Saturday at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex Center, will feature candidates Laura Anderson, Christian Cevallos, Alyssa Crocker, Ijamyn Gray, Michael Hepburn, Eileen Higgins, Ken Russell and Xavier Suarez.
They come from all political backgrounds. Anderson and Suarez, a former Miami Mayor, Miami-Dade Commissioner and the father of term-limited Mayor Francis Suarez, have no party affiliation.
Higgins, a Miami-Dade Commissioner, is a Democrat. So are Gray, Hepburn and Russell, a former Miami Commissioner.
Cevallos and Crocker are Republican.
Anderson, Cevallos, Higgins, Russell and former Miami City Manager Emilio González were the only five candidates to qualify for the race by 5:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Miami’s election webpage.
The deadline to qualify is 6 p.m. Saturday.
A spokesperson for the Florida Student Power, which is cohosting the event with Florida Rising Together and several other groups, said González and candidate June Savage were invited to participate, but either declined the invitation or didn’t respond. Three others running — Elijah Bowdre, Kenneth DeSantis and former Miami Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla — entered the race this month and did not receive invitations.
Bowrde is a Democrat. Díaz de la Portilla and Savage are Republican. DeSantis has no party affiliation, state records show.
Former Sen. Dwight Bullard, senior political adviser at Florida Rising, will moderate the forum with Florida Student Power Organizing Director Michi Ceard.
“The forum will center the voices of residents from all generations and backgrounds, creating space where meaningful dialogue can take place around issues that matter most to our communities,” a press note for the event said.
Other participating organizations include the Miami Freedom Project for Democracy, Equality Florida, Engage Miami, Miami Workers Center, Catalyst Miami, CLEO Institute, SAVE, Escarment Foundation for the Needy and United & United Inc.
LocShotz Media, a Miami-based photography studio, is also listed as a participant.
By Jesse Scheckner
This article originally appeared in The Miami Times.
Miami City Hall
(Florida Politics)
A coalition of progressive organizations are hosting a mayoral candidate forum this weekend ahead of Miami’s Nov. 4 election, and eight of the 13 people actively running for the job are confirmed to participate.
The event, set for 6 p.m. Saturday at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex Center, will feature candidates Laura Anderson, Christian Cevallos, Alyssa Crocker, Ijamyn Gray, Michael Hepburn, Eileen Higgins, Ken Russell and Xavier Suarez.
They come from all political backgrounds. Anderson and Suarez, a former Miami Mayor, Miami-Dade Commissioner and the father of term-limited Mayor Francis Suarez, have no party affiliation.
Higgins, a Miami-Dade Commissioner, is a Democrat. So are Gray, Hepburn and Russell, a former Miami Commissioner.
Cevallos and Crocker are Republican.
Anderson, Cevallos, Higgins, Russell and former Miami City Manager Emilio González were the only five candidates to qualify for the race by 5:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Miami’s election webpage.
The deadline to qualify is 6 p.m. Saturday.
A spokesperson for the Florida Student Power, which is cohosting the event with Florida Rising Together and several other groups, said González and candidate June Savage were invited to participate, but either declined the invitation or didn’t respond. Three others running — Elijah Bowdre, Kenneth DeSantis and former Miami Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla — entered the race this month and did not receive invitations.
Bowrde is a Democrat. Díaz de la Portilla and Savage are Republican. DeSantis has no party affiliation, state records show.
Former Sen. Dwight Bullard, senior political adviser at Florida Rising, will moderate the forum with Florida Student Power Organizing Director Michi Ceard.
“The forum will center the voices of residents from all generations and backgrounds, creating space where meaningful dialogue can take place around issues that matter most to our communities,” a press note for the event said.
Other participating organizations include the Miami Freedom Project for Democracy, Equality Florida, Engage Miami, Miami Workers Center, Catalyst Miami, CLEO Institute, SAVE, Escarment Foundation for the Needy and United & United Inc.
LocShotz Media, a Miami-based photography studio, is also listed as a participant.
