South Dade Races Take Shape After Aug. 18 Primary

South Dade voters helped settle several local races Tuesday while sending others into the Nov. 3 general election.

The Aug. 18 primary decided the Miami-Dade County Commission District 8 race, produced nominees for Congress and the Florida Legislature and delivered two particularly close finishes in countywide judicial contests.

According to preliminary and unofficial results from the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections, 244,454 of the county’s 1,288,156 registered voters participated. That placed countywide turnout at 18.98%.

All 772 Miami-Dade precincts had reported by early Wednesday morning. The totals include Election Day, early-voting and vote-by-mail ballots.

The results will remain unofficial until provisional ballots and cure affidavits are reviewed and the Canvassing Board certifies the election.

District 8 Decided

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins secured another term after receiving enough support to avoid a November runoff.

Cohen Higgins received 10,292 votes, or 55.09%, in the three-candidate District 8 race. John Edward DuBois finished second with 5,257 votes, or 28.14%, while Martha “Vega” Hero received 3,132 votes, or 16.77%.

A candidate needed more than 50% of the vote to win the race outright.

District 8 includes a large portion of South Dade, including Cutler Bay, Palmetto Bay and surrounding communities.

County Judge Race Decided by 572 Votes

The closest result affecting South Dade voters came in the race for Miami-Dade County Court Judge Group 25.

Maribel Diaz received 110,554 votes, or 50.13%. Luis Perez-Medina received 109,982 votes, or 49.87%.

Only 572 votes separated the candidates after more than 220,000 ballots were counted.

Diaz received slightly more than the majority needed to win the nonpartisan race without a runoff. The narrow margin remains subject to the county’s canvassing and certification process.

Another close finish came in the 11th Judicial Circuit Group 67 race.

Destiny Alvarez received 113,215 votes, or 50.46%, while Mavel Ruiz received 111,142 votes, or 49.54%. Alvarez’s preliminary advantage was 2,073 votes.

Judicial Runoffs Set

Two circuit court contests will continue into November because no candidate received more than half the vote.

Arthur LeMar “Marty” McNeil led the Circuit Court Group 5 race with 95,032 votes, or 42.48%.

Monica Segura finished second with 80,368 votes, or 35.92%, while Alex Annunziato received 48,336 votes, or 21.60%.

McNeil and Segura will face each other in the general election.

Circuit Court Group 69 will also require a runoff.

Rita Maria Baez led the three-candidate field with 82,673 votes, or 37.13%. Bonita Jones-Peabody followed with 77,866 votes, or 34.97%. Yaneth Del Carmen Baez received 62,111 votes, or 27.90%.

Rita Maria Baez and Jones-Peabody will advance to the November ballot.

Other judicial contests were decided by wider margins.

Renee Gordon won the Circuit Court Group 35 race with 141,821 votes, or 63.11%. Cristobal David Padron received 82,901 votes, or 36.89%.

In Circuit Court Group 76, Spencer Eig received 124,401 votes, or 56.42%, while Yenly Dominguez received 96,106 votes, or 43.58%.

Congressional Matchup Set

Voters also selected the nominees who will compete for Florida’s 27th Congressional District in November.

U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar won the Republican primary with 29,225 votes, or 81.35%. V. Michael Arias received 6,701 votes, or 18.65%.

On the Democratic side, Eliott Rodriguez received 17,324 votes, or 53.51%. Robin Peguero received 15,051 votes, or 46.49%.

Salazar and Rodriguez will now compete for the congressional seat in the Nov. 3 general election.

Redondo Wins House Primary

State Rep. Mike Redondo won the Republican primary for Florida House District 118.

Redondo received 7,656 votes, or 84.92%, while Marco Insua received 1,360 votes, or 15.08%.

The result gives Redondo the Republican nomination as the election cycle moves toward November.

November Field Takes Shape

Tuesday’s results decided several races, but they also marked the beginning of the next stage of the election cycle.

Candidates advancing from the primary will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot alongside nominees for additional federal, state and local offices. The judicial candidates advancing to runoffs will also have to compete again before a final winner is selected.

The South Dade News Leader has contacted candidates running for offices affecting the newspaper’s coverage area and invited them to participate in candidate-profile coverage.

Profiles will be published as candidates return their questionnaires and supporting materials, allowing readers to compare their backgrounds, priorities and positions before voting in November.

Results are preliminary and unofficial until certified by the appropriate canvassing boards.