Report from the Gables. Guest Blog by Gabler

Genius here - I asked a friend to fill us in on what is going on with the Coral Gables election, specifically I asked: How is Ross Hancock doing...

The stately city of Coral Gables is having an election next week that has attracted the greedy eyes of developers and lobbyists, who have put up 35-year-old construction executive Vicente Carlos Lago as a commission candidate. Lago’s campaign has spent over $100,000.00 in the race so far, an astonishing amount and more than the mayoral candidates, to ensure a place at the table for the Latin Builders and their ilk. It is virtually certain that more than $100 per voter will be spent by the 10 candidates who are vying for control of the commission. As of 3/13 Hancock had raised $2,605 and Lago has raised an alarming $141,798.

Ross Hancock, who gave Rep. Erik Fresen a scare in November, by getting very close with very little funds, is running a grassroots campaign against Lago that is highlighting issues like climate change. Community volunteer Marlin Ebbert is also running for the at-large Group 2 seat, which is open because Commissioner Ralph Cabrera is challenging incumbent Mayor Jim Cason.

Hancock’s campaign is built on a network of local volunteers in an election that will probably attract about 5,000 voters. Hancock builds on a base of more than 7,000 Gables voters who preferred him in the November partisan race. His team is also working on the UM campus to motivate newly registered student voters who support his environmental priorities.

Ross Hancock is the only candidate in the Gables races who is endorsed by the Sierra Club. He also has the endorsements of Democracy for America and the union that represents the beleaguered Gables city workers, some of whom have been so squeezed that they now depend on food stamps.

This is an interesting race to watch if you like to see regular citizens challenge local candidates whose sponsors are trying to buy elections, and if you are interested in how difficult issues like gun control and climate change are received by the public.

Genius Again: If I lived in Coral Gables, I would vote for Ross Hancock. 

As far as the Mayor's race goes -- Ralph Cabrera -- I defer to DISCOURSE.NET because Michael Froomkin has followed and analyzed the race. His analysis is at this link.

Gables campaign finance reports.