THE POLLS ARE OPEN - ELECTION CENTRAL - COUNTY COURT - RUNOFF

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

ELECTION CENTRAL - COUNTY COURT - RUNOFF

The polls open today for EARLY VOTING. Over the next 14 days, you can cast your ballot at any of the 33 locations open daily from 7am until 7pm. To find a polling location, you can go to this link.  If you pass on this opportunity, you must have ordered your Absentee ballot from the Department of Elections, or, you will need to show up to your own precinct on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

The only judicial race facing voters in Miami-Dade County is a runoff in County Court.

Group 29 (Judge Myriam Lehr retiring)

Christopher Benjamin v. Alina Salcines Restrepo

In the August primary, this was a three-person race. Christopher Benjamin received the most votes garnering 98,108 (39%) of the 253,299 votes cast. Alina Salcines Restrepo received 91,044 (36%). Former Judge Scott Janowitz was eliminated from the three-person race after collecting 64,147 (25%).

Christopher Benjamin has been a member of The Florida Bar for 22 years. He is Of Counsel with International Law Partners, LLP., and a panelist with the ADR firm of Salmon & Dulberg. He works in the areas of general litigation and serves as an arbitrator, mediator, and special magistrate. He has been a certified mediator and arbitrator for 15 years and in 2010 he was appointed as a Hearing Officer in the 11th Judicial Circuit’s Traffic Division where he served until 2020. In 2020 (and again in 2022), he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives to represent the people of  District 107.

Benjamin has raised $111,096. Benjamin did not loan his campaign any money. Of note, in his Financial Disclosure, Benjamin lists his Net Worth at NEGATIVE -$292,937.

Alina Salcines Restrepo has been a member of The Florida Bar for 24 years. She has worked in a law firm with her brother who is also a lawyer and she has been a solo practitioner as well. She concentrates her practice in the areas of real estate, probate, criminal, civil, traffic, estate planning, and bankruptcy law.

Salcines Restrepo has raised only $35,014, but she has added $40,000 to her campaign in the form of a loan. She lists her Net Worth at $1,170,733.

The winner earns a six-year term and an annual salary of $186,034.

IN OTHER ELECTION NEWS .....

It looks like a dead heat heading into the final two weeks of the presidential campaign. Seven states will decide the election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada are the only states polling too close to call. In Florida, Rick Scott continues to hold a healthy lead in the polls over his opponent, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. 

What are your predictions on the outcome of the Presidential race? Regardless of who is declared the winner, will there be endless court battles in some of these key states? Will any of those cases end up before SCOTUS?

CAPTAIN OUT .......

Captain4Justice@gmail.com

CONGRATS TO OUR THREE NEWLY ELECTED JUDGES; WE ALSO HAVE A RUN-OFF IN A FOURTH CONTEST .......

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

ELECTION CENTRAL - PRIMARY RESULTS .......

Congratulations are in order for three newly elected Judges. They will take office in the first week of January, 2025. In the fourth contest of the day, we have a runoff.

On Tuesday, August 20, 2024, voters went to the polls to elect four judges, two in the Circuit Court and two in the County Court. Of the 1.4 million registered voters in Miami-Dade County, 19.6% of voters cast ballots.

CIRCUIT COURT:

GROUP 8 

Former Judge Jason Bloch has been elected to a new six-year term on the bench. He bested his opponent Bonita Jones-Peabody convincingly, garnering 62% of the vote.

GROUP 29

In a much closer race, Heloiza Correa won a hard-fought contest over Cristobal David Padron. 

Heloiza Correa 129,525 (51.9%) 

Cristobal David Padron 120,178 (48.1%)

COUNTY COURT

GROUP 29

In this three-way contest that included former Judge Scott Janowitz, we have a runoff as no candidate received a majority of the vote. Here are the results:

Christopher Benjamin 98,069 (38.7%)

Alina Salines Restrepo 91,014     (35.9%)

Scott Janowitz         64,131 (25.3%) 

Benjamin and Restrepo will face off on November 5th in the General Election.

GROUP 31

In the closest race of the evening, Incumbent Judge Christopher Green held on to his seat squeaking by his opponent, Rita Maria Baez.

Christopher Green 126,770 (50.8%)

Rita Maria Baez 122,628 (49.2%)

In the most closely watched contest of the evening, Miami-Dade County will elect a Sheriff in November. This was as the result of a 2018 referendum in which 58% of Miami-Dade voters joined a statewide supermajority in approving a constitutional amendment requiring that the county join Florida’s 66 other counties in having an elected Sheriff.  Early on, you may recall that former Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez was the odds-on favorite to win this election. But, he dropped out of the race last September following an attempted suicide.

In the Republican primary, Assistant Director of Investigative Services for the MDPD Rosie Cordero-Stutz, a 28-year veteran of the force, beat out Florida Highway Patrol PIO Joe Sanchez to win her primary. Cordero-Stutz collected 27,065 votes to Sanchez’s 24,685. Nine other candidates were also in that contest.

Cordero-Stutz will face off against the Democratic primary winner, Chief of Public Safety for Miami-Dade County James Reyes, as he collected 51,291 votes (46.0%). He beat three other candidates, with the closest one being Rickey Mitchell who had 23,365 votes (21.0%).

Finally, in our favorite named candidate contest, that goes to Pitchie “Peachy” Escarment. She ran for a seat on the Miami Gardens Council, Seat 5, At Large. Unfortunately for Peachy, you will not be able to address her as Council Member Escarment as she came in fifth place in a six-person race.

CAPTAIN OUT .......
Captain4Justice@gmail.com

ELECTION 2024 - HERE ARE YOUR CONTESTED RACES, AND YOUR WINNERS .......

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

ELECTION CENTRAL 2024 - QUALIFYING WEEK HAS CLOSED .....

HERE ARE YOUR CONTESTED RACES ... AND YOUR UNCONTESTED WINNERS .....*

CIRCUIT COURT

Group 8 (Judge David Miller retiring)

Jason Bloch v. Bonita Jones-Peabody

Group 29 (Judge Pedro Echarte retiring)

Heloiza Correa v. Cristobal David Padron

Group 49

Congratulations to Judge-Elect Marie Mato who wins election in her first bid to wear the judicial robe without drawing an opponent; (do we call that a “Milt Hirsch”).

TRIVIA QUESTION: Name the last Circuit Court Judge to win election in their first attempt without opposition.

The following 21 judges were re-elected without opposition:

GROUP 2 Ariana Fajardo Orshan
GROUP 13 Jose L Fernandez
GROUP 14 Vivianne del Rio
GROUP 15 Maria Elena Verde
GROUP 24 Mindy S. Glazer
GROUP 25     Yery Marrero

GROUP 31 Carlos Lopez
GROUP 36 Lisa Sharon Walsh
GROUP 42 Miguel M. de la O
GROUP 43 Ellen Sue Venzer
GROUP 47 Maria de Jesus Santovenia
GROUP 53 Jason Emilios Dimitris
GROUP 54 Antonio "Tony" Arzola
GROUP 56 Javier A Enriquez
GROUP 58 Diana Vizcaino
GROUP 61 Christine Bandin
GROUP 66 Lourdes Simon
GROUP 68 Victoria del Pino
GROUP 71 Charlie Johnson
GROUP 78 Valerie R. Manno Schurr
GROUP 80 Marisa Tinkler Mendez

COUNTY COURT

Group 29 (Judge Myriam Lehr retiring)

Christopher Benjamin v. Alina Salcines Restrepo v Scott Janowitz*

*Janowitz originally filed in this Group in June of 2023. He redesignated to Circuit Court Group 25 on April 24th challenging an incumbent Judge and he stayed in that Group for exactly one day. On April 25th, he notified the State Elections Department that he was once again re-designating back into County Court Group 29.

Group 31

Judge Christopher Green v. Rita Maria Baez 

Group 4 (Judge Robin Faber retiring)

Congratulations to Judge-Elect Michelle Marie Urbistondo who wins a seat on the bench in her first attempt without facing opposition.

Group 12 (Judge Steve Leifman retiring)

Congratulations to Judge-Elect Mariano Corcilli who also wins a seat on the bench in his first attempt without facing opposition.

The following 15 judges were re-elected without opposition:

Group 01 Patricia Marino-Pedraza
Group 02 Kristy M. Nunez 
Group 06 Jorge Perez Santiago
Group 10 Diana Gonzalez-Whyte 
Group 14 Gloria Gonzalez-Meyer 
Group 18 Betsy Alvarez-Zane
Group 21 Jacqueline Michelle Woodward 
Group 22 Linda Singer Stein
Group 26 Maria De Fatima Ortiz 
Group 32 Lizzet Martinez 
Group 33 Eleane Sosa-Bruzon 
Group 37 Yara Lorenzo Klukas 
Group 40 Michael George Barket 
Group 41 Larry King 
Group 43 Milena Abreu

Both State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and Public Defender Carlos Martinez win election without facing an opponent.

It is going to be a long, hot summer, as the nine candidates trek from a Homestead breakfast, to a lunch in Hialeah, and then a dinner in Aventura, night after night after night, attending one judicial forum after another.

*According to the State Division of Elections and the Miami-Dade County Division of Elections.

CAPTAIN OUT .......
Captain4Justice@gmail.com

QUALIFYING WEEK UPDATE .......

 

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

ELECTION 2024 - QUALIFYING WEEK UPDATE.......

EVEN BIGGER BREAKING NEWS

SCOTT JANOWITZ has withdrawn from the Circuit Court Group 25 race and he will not challenge Judge Marrero. We predict that he will jump back into a County Court race.  

There is a back story. 

BREAKING NEWS  

As we reported last night (read below) Candidate Scott Janowitz has jumped out of his County Court Group and filed against Incumbent Circuit Court Judge Yery Marrero. UPDATE #2. Scott Janowitz has paid his Qualifying Fee. He is locked into Group 25 and will be running against Judge Marrero.

————————

Very little to report after two days. Qualifying Week ends at Noon on Friday. As of 5 PM today, there have been no new candidates entering races for Circuit or County Court Judge.

In the Circuit Court:

All candidates that filed have paid their Qualifying Fee except for two: 

Group 14 - Vivianne del Rio - NOW QUALIFIED

Group 56 - Javier Enriquez - NOW QUALIFIED

In County Court:

All candidates that filed have paid their Qualifying Fee except for:

Group 18 - Betsy Alvarez Zane - NOW QUALIFIED

Group 29 - Scott Janowitz - Moved to Circuit Group 25

Group 31 - Rita Maria Baez - we spoke with Ms. Baez and she has indicated that she will be qualifying in this Group. - NOW QUALIFIED

In Group 29, there are three candidates listed as intending to run in that Group. Two of those candidates, Christopher Benjamin and Alina Salcines Restrepo, have paid their Qualifying Fee. They are each locked into this race.

Candidate Scott Janowitz, who was appointed to the bench by Gov DeSantis in 2020 and ran in 2022 to hold his seat, and lost that seat to current Judge Alicia Privolos (60% to 40%), Janowitz has communicated with me and stated that he will be Qualifying in a Group. Janowitz would not respond to my question as to which Group, which leads me to believe that, given the fact that Group 29 already has two candidates, Janowitz is looking at other Groups and gauging which race would give him the best chance of winning.

Christopher Benjamin has raised $32,078. Alina Salcines Restrepo has raised only $9,510 but has added $40,000 to her campaign in the form of a loan. Scott Janowitz on the other hand has raised only $1,250 and loaned his campaign an extra $500.

Which Group might Janowitz jump into? There are two open seats: Group 4 where Judge Robin Faber is retiring and only one candidate has qualified. Michelle Urbistondo, who has raised $54,150 and loaned her campaign an additional $100,500. There is also Group 12, where Judge Steve Leifman is retiring. Only Mario Corcilli has qualified in that Group and he has raised $43,801 and kicked in an additional $120,000 of his own money.

There are also 15 Incumbent County Court judges and 21 Incumbent Circuit Court judges currently facing no opposition. Judge Christopher Green has drawn one opponent, that being the above-mentioned Rita Maria Baez.

It has also been very quiet in the race for State Attorney where Katherine Fernandez Rundle is still unopposed.

NORTH OF THE BORDER

State Attorney Dave Aronberg, of the 15th judicial circuit in Palm Beach County, is not seeking re-election. So far, seven candidates have filed to replace Aronberg but only two have qualified as of today. They include: Forrest Freedman and Craig Williams. Other candidates who have not yet paid the qualifying fee include: Alexcia Cox, Adam Farkas, Gregg Lerman, Rolando Silva, and Samuel Stern.

Also in the 15th Circuit, Public Defender Carey Haughwout is also not running for reelection. Daniel Eisinger has qualified in that race while candidate Adam Frankel has not yet paid his qualifying fee.

In Broweird, State Attorney Harold Pryor and Public Defender Gordon Weekes do not appear to have attracted any opponents.

THIRD DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL .....

In the wake of the sudden death of Judge Eric Hendon, the 3rd DCA JNC has scheduled interviews this Friday, April 26, with the following persons:

Donald Barrett

Woody Clermont

Margaret Correoso

Angel Cortinas

Kansas Gooden

Judge Spencer Multack

Judge Joseph Perkins

Judge Thomas Rebull

Judge Daryl Trawick

Judge Robert Watson

Judge Laura Gonzalez-Marques

CAPTAIN OUT .......
Captain4Justice@gmail.com

ELECTION 2024 - QUALIFYING WEEK .....

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

ELECTION 2024 - QUALIFYING WEEK

Welcome to Qualifying Week. Over the next five days, the candidates who have filed to run in their respective Groups in both the Circuit and County Court will need to formally commit by paying their Qualifying Fee. As always, we can expect to see some surprise candidates jumping into races this week. The question for this week is - WHO ARE THE MOST LIKELY CANDIDATES TO DRAW OPPOSITION? 

(nb edited by Rumpole for blog reasons- see below)

But, before we get to the judicial races, the burning question on the mind of all criminal defense attorneys in Miami-Dade County is - will State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle draw a last minute opponent? Or will she win another four-year term come Friday at Noon?

Fernandez Rundle has raised $317,728 and loaned her campaign an additional $170,000 for a war chest of nearly a half-million dollars. To date, she has only spent $14,872 on her campaign. She clearly does not expect to face opposition in 2024.  Ms. Fernandez Rundle turned 74 years old on March 1st and if she serves out another term, from January of 2025 - January of 2029, she will be two months short of her 79th birthday at the end of her next term. There have been recent calls by many members of the Bar for somebody, anybody, to mount a campaign against her. Recent events that have taken place in Fernandez Rundle’s office, which have been discussed on this Blog, have tarnished her long and dedicated reputation of her career of public service in Miami-Dade County. But, nobody owns an elected office in our County and one must continue to prove that they deserve another term from the voters.

On to the judicial races.

CIRCUIT COURT

A Circuit Court Judge in Florida is currently earning a salary of $191,163. The Florida Legislature approved a raise of 3% meaning Circuit Judges will soon earn $196,898. The Qualifying Fee is 4% of their current salary which comes to $7,646.52

The most vulnerable incumbents likely to face last-minute opposition include one judge who has only raised $34,000 to date, the second lowest total of all candidates for Circuit Court Judge (excepting Jason Bloch) and another who has raised the least amount of money of all candidates with $13,070. She has loaned her campaign an additional $50,000.

Other incumbent judges who have raised less than $75,000 include:

Judge Ariana Fajardo Orshan - $65,450

Judge Mindy Glazer - $63,131

Judge Miguel de la O - $71,149

Judge Javier Enriquez - $73,518

Judge Christine Bandin - $63,850

Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez - $70,965

Which incumbent judges have attempted to bullet-proof themselves from a possible opponent:

Leading the fundraising campaign:

Judge Tony Arzola - $237,325

Judge Lisa Walsh - $230,501

Judge Valerie Manno Schurr - $219,405

Judge Vivianne del Rio - $206,296

Also, someone who may be concerned with drawing an opponent, (I’ll let our readers guess why), is Judge Charlie Johnson. Johnson has raised $151,274 and he has kicked in another $200,000 from his own pocket. He leads all incumbent judges with the biggest war chest. By all accounts, Judge Johnson has done a spectacular job on the bench. He was first appointed to the County Court by Gov. Charlie Crist in 2010. He was elected without opposition in 2012. He served there for five years until Gov. Rick Scott elevated him to the Circuit Court in 2015. Johnson again ran unopposed in 2018 and we certainly hope he draws no opposition in 2024.

COUNTY COURT

A County Court Judge in Florida is currently earning a salary of $180,616. The Florida Legislature also approved a raise of 3% for County Court Judges meaning they will soon earn $186,034. The Qualifying Fee is also 4% of their current salary which comes to $7,224.64.

Incumbent County Court Judges that would appear to be most vulnerable include a judge first elected in 2012 who has raised only $50,100 and another appointed by Governor Jeb Bush to the County Court bench in 2004 who has never faced opposition in three subsequent elections including in 2006, 2012, and 2018 and has raised only $52,850.

Which County Court Incumbent Judge has the largest bank account?

That would be Judge Jacqueline Woodward with $203,410. That amount includes $105,500 of her own funds.  A close second is Judge Lizzet Martinez who has $191,038 in her campaign account which also includes $100,000 of her hard earned money. Finally, is Judge Michael Barket who has $178,268 in the bank including $100,000 of his own money.

If you have a hot tip on a candidate filing, please email The Captain at Captain4Justice@gmail.com.

We will closely follow any breaking news throughout Qualifying Week.

CAPTAIN OUT .......
Captain4Justice@gmail.com

Rumpole says- we do not think it is appropriate to name a judge as a potential target for a challenger based on the low amount of money they have raised. Many judges are very well respected and have  decided not to engage in a lot of fundraising. We do not want to put a target on their back, as, believe it or not,  we actually sympathize with many of them as to the stress of this week and do not want to encourage the "rosies" of the world to come out from under some crack in the wall and diminish the judiciary more than it already has been by the name game of Miami judicial politics. So we edited the post because this is our property and we can. 

JUDICIAL ELECTIONS 2024 - AN EARLY LOOK .......

 

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated”. Samuel Clemens, June 2, 1897

Being that the qualifying period to run for Judge is exactly one year away (May 2024), we present to you the current judges up for re-election and a few candidates that have already filed for 2024.

CIRCUIT COURT

Antonio Arzola

Miguel de la O

Victoria del Pino Filed

Vivianne Del Rio Filed

Jason Dimitris

Pedro Echarte Attorney Heloiza Correa has filed

Javier Enriquez Filed

Jose Fernandez

Mindy Glazer

Charles Johnson

Carlos Lopez Filed

Yery Marrero

Marisa Tinkler Mendez

David Miller Attorney Jason Bloch has filed

Ariana Fajardo Orshan

Teresa Pooler Attorney Marie Mato has filed

Maria de Jesus Santovenia

Valerie Manno Schurr Filed

Lourdes Simon Filed

Ellen Venzer Filed

Maria Verde

Diana Vizcaino Filed

Lisa Walsh Filed

COUNTY COURT

Milena Abreu Filed

Betsy Alvarez-Zane Filed

Michael Barket Filed

Robin Faber Attorney Michelle Urbistondo has filed

Laura Gonzalez

Gloria Gonzalez-Meyer Filed

Diana Gonzalez-Whyte

Christopher Green Filed

Lawrence King

Myriam Lehr

Steve Leifman         Attorney Mariano Corcilli has filed

Patricia Marino-Pedraza

Lizzet Martinez Filed

Kristy Nunez

Maria Ortiz

Eleane Sosa-Bruzon Filed

Linda Singer Stein Filed

Jacqueline Woodward

It is possible that those named by Governor DeSantis as replacements for each of the following judges that have recently retired mid-term will have to face the voters in 2024:

Judge Fine’s replacement

Judge Krieger-Martin’s replacement

Judge Enriquez’ County Court replacement

Judge Hanzman’s replacement (last day was March 31, 2023)

Judge Seraphin’s replacement (last day was April 30, 2023)

Nominees for Judge Fine’s replacement include the following six names. His replacement will be named by DeSantis by no later than May 30.

Christine Bandin

Cristina Correa

Carlos Gamez

Laura Gonzalez

Natalie Moore

Stephanie Silver

Nominees for Judge Krieger-Martin's and Judge Enriquez’ replacements include the following 10 names. Governor DeSantis is expected to name their replacements by no later than by next Friday.

Gilberto Barreto

Heloiza Correa

Rita Cuervo

Kevin Hellmann

Kimberly Hillery

Jennifer Hochstadt

Scott Janowitz

Yara Klukas

Jorge Santiago

Jay Yagoda

CAPTAIN OUT .......
Captain4Justice@gmail.com