MIAMI (WSVN) - Daniella Levine Cava and Esteban Bovo are headed into a runoff election for Miami-Dade County mayor in November’s general election.
Neither Levine Cava nor Bovo, both current Miami-Dade County commissioners, garnered the required majority to be elected mayor during Florida’s primary on Tuesday.
The two candidates made an appearance on Wednesday morning, just hours after receiving the results from the race.
Bovo visited a Miami Lakes COVID testing site, and Levina Cava visited a democratic event on rebuilding South Florida in the wake of the pandemic.
“We’re really the response that we got from the voters yesterday,” Bovo said. “I want to be that mayor that gets the job done.”
“We know that we need change,” Levine Cava said. “We need change right here in Miami-Dade County. We need change in the state and we need change in the nation. The people are calling for it, and we will make it happen.”
At last update, Bovo garnered nearly 30% of the vote, while Levine Cava garnered nearly 29% of the vote. Former Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas finished in third place, garnering 25% of the vote.
Although the county mayoral race is non-partisan, Levine Cava made a push to consolidate the democratic vote throughout the campaign and has been referred to as the most liberal choice.
“I want to give thanks first to everyone who believed in this campaign, who gave their time, their treasure and their votes because they believed in our cause and in our message,” Levine Cava said.
Bovo, meanwhile, brands himself as the only conservative county mayoral candidate, is a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump and focused on law and order in his campaign.
“This was not a partisan race,” Bovo said. “This was a race that we wanted to make sure that we respected the taxpayer. We wanted to make sure from the very beginning that all those that own businesses, that own homes, we wanted to make sure that we repurpose and realign the mission of our county government. Today, we reconfirm that we will make this about the tax payers. What we saw here today was a rejection of those that want to take us to a place like another New York, another Chicago, another San Francisco.”
Levine Cava is seeking to become the county’s first female mayor, and she was first elected to her position in 2014.
“On this historic day, marking 100 years of women’s right to vote, it is the day that I will become the first woman mayor of Miami-Dade County.”
Levina Cava casted her ballot at Christ Congregational Church in Palmetto Bay. Bovo casted his vote at the Salvation Army Precinct in Hialeah.
Bovo was elected commissioner in 2011 after previously being elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2008.
“We came out today to vote, and we encourage all those that have not yet voted to participate in this process and this celebration of democracy, and get out and vote,” said Bovo. “These elections work better when we all participate.”
Electoral officials said a record number of more than 415,000 voters cast ballots in Miami-Dade County.
Penelas, who also voted in Hialeah, made his concession after finding out the results.
“I stand here today with my head held high, because to think that my parents came to this country 60 years ago and that I’ve been able now, and on several occasions, to participate in this incredible exercise of democracy really just says a lot about what this country is all about.”
Also losing the bid was former Miami-Dade mayor, father of City of Miami’s Mayor Francis Suarez and current County Commissioner, Xavier Suarez. He garnered 11% of the vote.
The fifth and sixth place finishers were both first time candidates – law firm administrator Monique Nicole Barley received 5% of the vote, while retail worker and real estate broker Ludmilla Domond received 1% of the vote.
The winner will succeed current Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who will vacate the position due to term limits.
“Whether you’re democrat, independent or republican, you own a home, you pay taxes, you probably care where your money is going, and I want to speak to you about the way we spend our money,” said Bovo.
“As mayor of Miami-Dade County, I am going to be so, so privileged to work with a great congressional team and a great legislative delegation,” said Levina Cava, “so we welcome all of the winners and we will go on to victory.”
Whoever wins the election will be tasked in leading the county through the coronavirus pandemic. Both candidates are separating themselves from Gimenez’s leadership and have provided their own path for a healthy and safe county.
Levine Cava is pushing for health experts to lead the county forward.
“We need a chief medical officer, which I will appoint on day one to make sure that we tamp down on this disease,” she said.
Bovo hopes to build a better relationship with city mayors and defeat the virus as a united county.
“County is doing one thing, cities are doing another, and I think that speaks a lot of communication among the cities,” Bovo said, “so if elected, the first thing I would be doing is talking to all the mayors in the cities.”
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