Even though both were elected into their respective mayorships thanks in large part to their opposition to the Marlins Park deal, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez and City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado aren't on the same page on much else. As Regalado's reelection efforts heat up, Gimenez now has decided to host a fundraiser for his opponent, Commissioner Francis Suarez.
He'll be joined by three of the five members of Regalado's city commission.
According to The Miami Herald, Gimenez and Commissioners Marc Sarnoff, Michelle Spence-Jones and Wifredo "Willy" Gort will co-host a June 6 fundraiser for Suarez at the Coral Gables home of Vicky and Ralph Garcia-Toledo.
Suarez is of course the fourth member of the city commission. The fifth, Frank Carollo, has remained neutral so far.
Sarnoff supported Regalado's initial election efforts in 2009, so his defection is a bit of a surprise. He tells the Herald he see the current mayor as more of a "custodian" figure taking care of the city during a bumpy patch rather than someone who shares his "vision of what a modern city needs."
Mayor Gimenez's support for Suarez may just be a game of political tit-for-tat. Regalado supported Xavier Suarez (ironically Francis's father) when Gimenez originally ran for County Commission in 2004, and supported Julio Robaina in the 2011 county mayor race.
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