Well, Tomas Regalado is now all but certain to be Miami's mayor again for the next four years. According to reports from both The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald, his main competitor, commissioner Francis Suarez, is expected to drop out of the race after a turbulent period in his campaign.
Suarez, the son of former mayor Xavier Suarez, is expected to cite news of his wife's pregnancy as the official reason for abandoning the race, but the word comes just days after news that his campaign manager and another staffer will accept charges of mishandling absentee ballots and spend a year on probation. There was also some minor Twitter hubbub involving one of his commission office aides that shouldn't have bothered anyone with half a brain.
Of course, being connected to some light absentee ballot fraud or embarrassing staffers hans't forced several other candidates in Miami-Dade to drop out of their races.
More tellingly, Suarez would have had until tomorrow evening to officially resign his seat on the city commission in order to run for mayor.
There hasn't been a publicly released independent poll in the race, but Suarez was holding his own against Regalado in another meaningful measure: campaign donations. According to the most recent reports Suarez had raised $495,911 to Regalado's $449,468. A separate organization aimed at supporting Suarez has also raised $824,212.
There was indeed a strong desire in parts of the community to see someone replace Regalado, a mayor who has had his fair share of problems. But unless Suarez changes his mind (assuming the reports aren't false in the first place) or there's a surprise last minute entrant into the race aside from the handful of sure-to-be also-rans who have filed, it seems that Miami will be stuck with Tomas for better or worse for the next four years. Democracy at its finest.
Update: From Independent news blogger Elaine de Valle
Confirmed. @FrancisSuarez on the phone with me right now, saying he is out of #Miami mayoral race. Post coming soon to Political Cortadito.
— Elaine de Valle (@newschica) August 26, 2013
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