When an unknown person runs for office, it is often said: What's their experience? Fundraising capability? Organization? Since they have never run before it is hard to know the answer to those questions.
I would say that those running against a sitting County Commissioner have no fundraising capability to speak of because everyone is afraid to get the sitting County Commissioner angry. You get a few donors but it is like pulling teeth. The incumbent just has to pick up the phone and tens of thousands of dollars are raised.
In order to have an "organization" you need money. Most new candidates loan their campaign some money. So a candidate has to have some wealth. Bruno already has $89,225 in his account. Ricky Rodriguez has been in since January 2011 - a full year. He still hasn't raised any money, I think that is a bad sign. Carlos Munoz Fontanills has raised $6,750 but that is through 10/07/2011. Calixto Garcia is new to the field - his filing documents are not even posted but he said he filed last week. He is a neuro-psychologist and he said he was/is the V.P. of the Chamber of Commerce 8th Street and Latin Quarter. Calixto said he is running a grass-roots campaign. He sounded promising when I spoke with him.
In my opinion, the only thing to look at before supporting a candidate that is new on the horizon is to figure out whether or not they are a flake. There has to be something more substantive then WANTING to be County Commissioner. Surprisingly, very often there is not. I have found candidates that provide non-working numbers on their filing papers. Or, when I call the numbers the candidate can't be found. Having a job helps and community service goes a long way to shed flakiness. I googled all three challengers with little feedback. Ricky has a campaign expenditure for a website but I couldn't find one.
I have to check out the 3 challengers against Bruno Barreiro, but we all know Bruno has to go!
8 comments:
I hope Luis Garcia drops his senate bid and runs against Bruno.
How did Monestine overcome those huge obstacles vs. Dorrin Rolle? Perhaps other candidates can learn from his experience.
Dorrin was too far gone -- too many problems. His supporters abandoned him. His campaign manager left for Monestime. The lobbyists started to finance Monestime. Ron Book was collecting for him.
Genius, not true....
Monestime forced a run off WITHOUT Howard
Willis who only became campaign manager AFTER
the run off.
Ron Brook did not collect ONE Penney for Monestime.
Monestime donations was almost entirely from friends
and family. In the last month Mayor Pierre bundled
$8,000 for him --- that was the only person who
"collected money."
MOST IMPORTANTLY: THE LOBBYIST DID NOT FINANCE MONESTIME AT ALL!
Similary to you and everyone else outside the camapign,
the lobbyist couldn't see Rolle losing with at 10:1
Fund raising advantage, and they were not willing
to risk being on the wring side.
I think he had help behind the scenes because everyone was ready to see Rolle go, but it is my opinion. I appreciate your corrections. Will have to back and look at the campaign report.
Monestime raised $107,735 which isn't too shabby. He got money from Gray Robinson. he also got money from Grace Solares and a lot of money from Norman Braman - few thousand. I think he also had outside advice that was probably in kind and not reported. That is my opinion. As Ron Book hosted his victory party...I suspect Ron was there in some capacity.
Rolle Raised $388,408, in the scheme of things a paltry sum for a sitting commissioner, that is why I said they abandoned him.
Pepe Diaz collected almost as much but he was facing a challenger with $600.
Anon above; in kind donations must be reported. If you know otherwise, you should report it. That said, you can beat a well financed incumbent with shoe leather and many miles walked. I did it. The candidate must walk, not their staff/family/friends.
My dearly beloved love/hate blog,
It is I, Don Ricky. I put my name in the race over a year ago or so, for the same purpose you agreed on back in the day in one of your blogs; to signal to Bruno that there will be challengers. This might have or not, made him start raising money.
I have no delusions of grandeur or false hopes. Also, I have not even really begun to campaign (I am technically running, however, I have not yet decided for "real").
I think everyone should run, you should too. We will see if I qualify my name on the ballot or not. What we do know is, as you stated, there are already 3 candidates out there.
Now, I know you and those of you who share your views are shaking your heads when you see your choices. I know that you must be thinking going from a Banana Republic to a Mango Republic is the same thing.
I don't think you will be happy with Bruno or anyone else, but I think, if I ran for real, I might be different.
I know you and I disagree on many things ( you didn't like my picture with Ron Paul ) and my libertarian thinking... but at least I won't make the promise to overthrow Fidel the pillar of my campaign.
I look forward to being bashed in the future. Hopefully I do run for "real" so I can have fun reading your love/hate blogs!
I do find them entertaining/educating (although we disagree on environmental things: which is your soul )
Anyway, Keep up the blogging and eye on Miami!
Viva Miami Libre,
Ricky Rodriguez !
p.s. I agree that the Port of Miami dredging is a disaster and destructive to our bay and that needs to be stopped, I agree that the Port of Miami tunnel is another crime on the taxpayers and the environment too. I do think though that DERM is very bureaucratic and bad on the wetlands issue out west. I think we need to protect our environment but we can't abuse people or their due process of law.
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