Biggest Upset in Miami Dade County History: Eileen Higgins is County Commissioner for DiEileestrict 5. By Geniusofdespair

Eileen Higgins with Her Communications Campaign Manager. Eileen easily beat the favorite and better funded - Zoraida Barreiro.  We have now lost a charter member of the unreformable majority and replaced him with what might be the difference on all the shitty votes in the County. If only Sally Heyman would realize she is a Democrat, we might move things the right way with Higgins, Levine-Cava, Suarez and Monestime.

More photos from the victory party:

Happy Higgins.

Well funded Barreiro was trounced by Higgins.

Eileen Higgins and Cindy Lerner

As for the 836 Expansion:

Zoraida Barreiro pointed to pleas from homeowners for an alternative to Krome Avenue or Florida's Turnpike as a way to connect with the 836.

"This is something that is needed in that area. The residents of Kendall want it," Zoraida Barreiro said during the debate hosted by Glenna Milberg and Michael Putney. "They've been asking for it. They need it. It's been horrible traffic in that area. That's going to help."

Higgins said building new roads hasn't helped traffic in Miami-Dade yet, and pointed to warnings that low-lying areas in the west have significant risks for flooding from a rising water table.

"I worry very much about putting any sort of development, including roads, outside the Urban Development Boundary," she said. "Anybody that witnessed the horrific flooding in Houston, when they begun to encroach upon their wetlands, knows the danger of taking our protected wetlands around from us, given what's going on with sea-level rise."


Higgins will not be sworn in until Friday but the hearing on 836 is tomorrow. I wonder if she will be speaking from the floor? I wonder if the vote can be postponed.


MEANWHILE...

County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava has a motley crew of 3 running against her.

 

They are a bit behind on the fundraising front.