Giménez, Regalado to face off in November runoff; Victories for Wasserman-Schultz and others

WEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Giménez and challenger Raquel Regalado are headed to a runoff election in November, according to primary results, Tuesday night.

Giménez went up against Regalado and five other candidates. Speaking with supporters at the DoubleTree Hotel in West Miami-Dade after polls closed, Giménez said he plans to create traffic solutions by better timing lights, add to mass transit and make housing more affordable. “This campaign is about the future, and you see the future around me,” said Giménez, surrounded by his children and grandchildren.

In order to have avoided a runoff, Giménez needed to garner more than 50 percent of the vote. He ended up with 48 percent against Regalado’s 32 percent. Earlier Tuesday, when asked how confident he was of winning, the incumbent said, “Pretty confident, but you know, at the end of the day, it’s the voters who decide.”

Giménez took to social media to express his gratitude toward his supporters.

https://twitter.com/Gimenez4Mayor/status/770797666347290624

Giménez said that as mayor, he has cut property taxes and has steadily steered the county. “In the next two months, we’ll be talking about the vision for Miami-Dade County,” he said, “the experience that it takes to run this very complex government, and I look forward to a spirited campaign with Ms. Regalado.”

Meanwhile, Regalado, the daughter of Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado, was greeted with cheers — and a kiss from her father — as she walked to the podium to address her supporters in Miami.

Regalado, who was elected to the Miami-Dade School Board in 2010, said a lot of the support that would be natural for her among teachers and union members, was challenging to get for the August primary.

Before the polls closed, she said she was hopeful the negative attacks during the campaign would be unable to keep voters away. “It hasn’t been easy, not just because he’s an incumbent, but he’s also spent over $6 million,” she said. “This has been the most expensive campaign in the history of Miami-Dade County, and it’s also been the most negative campaign in the history of Miami-Dade County.”

Speaking to supporters, Giménez criticized Regalado’s lack of experience. “There’s a clear difference in vision, and a clear difference in experience, and a clear difference in accomplishments,” he said.

One accomplishment Regalado would like to achieve is to become the county’s first female mayor in November. “I promised you, over a year and a half ago, that we would make history, and today we made history,” she said. “For the first time, we take a well-funded incumbent to November.”

Speaking with 7News shortly after, Regalado said her opponent’s failure to reach the 50 percent threshold was a setback to his campaign. “It is a loss for him. This is a blow,” she said. “After this blow, a lot of people will hedge their bets, and a lot of people who wanted to help, who were afraid to help, will see that I’m a good investment and that people want change. Today, it’s not just about me. It’s about the fact that the residents of Miami-Dade County have rejected Carlos Giménez.”

Taking a look at the other big races, former DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz came out on top in the congressional race for District 23.

Wasserman-Schultz defeated Tim Canova, a law professor backed by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Meanwhile, Republican and 46-year-old Weston resident Joe Kaufman celebrated a victory, as well. He defeated 66-year-old Marty Feigenbaum.

Kaufman now has the tough task of taking on Wasserman-Schultz in November within a district that leans heavily democratic.

In House District 24, which runs from Miami to Miramar, the incumbent, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, easily defeated former Miami Hurricane and Miami Dolphins star Randall Hill. No Republicans filed to run in this district.

In District 26, which covers all of the Florida Keys and a section of Southwest Miami-Dade, former congressman Joe Garcia held off a challenge from Annette Tadeo.

Garcia will now face first-term incumbent republican Carlos Curbelo in November.

The race for District 27, which runs from Hialeah south to Miami, Kendall and Homestead, saw long-time incumbent and the most senior Republican U.S. Florida Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen cruise to victory.

On the Democratic side, political newcomer and 34-year-old South Miami resident Scott Furhman defeated his two challengers. Furhman is the first serious candidate to launch a campaign against Ros-Lehtinen in eight years.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio easily trounced millionaire developer Carlos Beruff in the GOP primary.

Congressman Patrick Murphy secured the Democratic nomination, defeating state representative Alan Grayson. In November, it will be Rubio versus Murphy, which is a key race that will be closely watched nationwide as it could ultimately determine control of the U.S. Senate.

In the race for Broward County Sheriff, Democrat Scott Israel secured the 50-plus percentage he needed against a host of challengers. He will now face off against Republican Scott Vasquez.

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