(WSVN) - It is a tight race for Miami-Dade’s State Attorney’s Office.
The 2020 race finds incumbent Katherine Fernandez Rundle defending a seat she has held for 27 years.
“Together we have been able to reduce the crime rate by 70% in or community in the last 30 years,” she said. “We are one of the leaders in the state.”
Her challenger is Melba Pearson — a former employee of Rundle for 16 years who became a civil rights attorney.
“It is time for a change, and it is time for our county to dispense justice in a fair and equitable way,” she said.
Rundle runs one of the largest state attorney’s offices in the country and succeeded Janet Reno.
Her office has become a focal point during South Florida Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis Police.
Rundle said she sees this moment in history as an opportunity for change.
“There are some police reforms in the works and legislative reforms in the works,” she said. “I am fortunate enough to be in the mix.”
Her critics say, in nearly 30 years, however, this has not been shown.
“She has not once charged a police officer for an on-duty killing, and we have so many examples where charges are appropriate,” said Pearson.
Rundle, however, said she has pursued other charges for law enforcement.
“This office has prosecuted more than 500 police and correctional officers since I have been in office,” said Rundle.
Pearson is critical of how long the state attorney’s office takes to decide on whether to press charges in officer-involved cases.
In the death of inmate Darren Rainey, a five-year investigation, no one was charged.
“I know firsthand, having handled these cases, you can solve them in six months to a year,” said Pearson. “It’s not fair to the families who are mourning the loss of a loved one.”
Rundle said the investigations take time, and she’s worked to improve that.
“Most of the time, it’s just getting the evidence together,” Rundle said. “We can’t make a decision on 90% of the evidence. We need all of the evidence.”
Rundle also reacted to Pearson’s criticisms saying she was in a position to create change when she worked for her.
“She was in a position where she could have asked for those reforms,” said Rundle. “She could have been a leader.”
“I always had a good relationship with her. This is nothing personal against her,” said Pearson. “I don’t hate her or dislike her.”
Whoever wins the state attorneys race in Miami-Dade will work with the county’s new mayor.
Both candidates said they are willing and ready to do so.
The primary election is set for Aug. 18 and early voting is already underway.
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