North Miami Mayor Deslume Faces Three Challengers in 2024 Reelection Bid

Miami, FL - Three candidates are challenging incumbent North Miami Mayor Deslume in this year's city election which should see a large voter turnout because of the U.S. presidential race.

North Miami Mayor DeslumeWhile Deslume, who was appointed in 2022, is seeking another two-year team, former Florida Agriculture Commissioner candidate and community activist Naomi Esther Blemure, former state Senator Daphne Campbell and former mayor candidate Hector Medina are all also vying for the mayoral seat.

North Miami postponed its 2023 election to November 5, 2024 following controversy involving former Mayor Phillippe Bien-Amime, who tried to hold on to his position after losing a run-off election to Marliene Bastien for Miami-Dade County Commissioner.

The council unanimously voted for Deslume, who was the vice mayor, to assume the duties of mayor.

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, North Miami has a population of 60,191 residents most who are of Caribbean descent, and is the seventh largest city in Miami-Dade County.

The city emcompasses 10.2 square miles and is home to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami Auto Museum, Oleta River State Park, the largest urban park in Florida, the Arch Creek Park and Chinatown, is a 90-acre planned revitalization district located on NW 7th Avenue that as of 2019 was still under construction.

Desulme filed papers to run for reelection after he had a health scare in August 2023 when he suffered a seizure in Africa and was flown to John Hopkins Hospital near Washington D.C. for treatment.

He fainted during a dinner banquet and as everyone in the room rushed to his aid.

Desulme was part of a South Florida Delegation of elected officials visiting Africa when he fell ill in Sierra Leone and told the Miami Herald "it was the scariest moment of my life."

Desulme said he's been a North Miami resident for the past 30 years and experiences the same challenges his constituents face each day.

Desulme said he's advocating for more affordable housing, bolstering public safety, prioritizing financial stability and investing in infrastructure for more resiliency.

He also said the city is progressing during the post-COVID-19 era.

"We’ve worked to root out internal problems, like wasteful spending, and we’ve dealt with external challenges like crime and the COVID crisis," he said. But I’m proud to share that the future of our city has never looked brighter."

Desulme said his political platform includes advocating to protect seniors, living on a fixed income, from inflation by offering programs like the NoMi Golden Silver plan and providing social events.

Desulme added: "We’ve cared for our environment, spearheading efforts to improve community cleanliness and climate change resiliency. And we’ve cared for those facing housing insecurities, creating our city’s first housing and social services department."

In 2009, Desulme made history as North Miami’s first Black City Clerk and the youngest Haitian American to hold such a position in the United States.  

In 2015 when he was elected to the North Miami City Council, representing District 4.

Blemur is a Haitian-American minister and currently serves as vice chair for North Miami's Commission for Women and the city's Planning commission.

Blemur said he's focusing on optimal resident services, prioritizing infrastructure upgrades, combat wasteful spending, boosting the city's economy by helping local businesses and advocating for comprehensive beautification projects to enhance the quality of life for residents.

Blemur has 20 years of experience in retail-management and commercial banking and non-profit management.

U.S. Congressman Alfred Lawson Jr., has endorsed Blemur for her candidacy for mayor, calling her the residents' fighter for a better quality life.

"North Miami needs a strong leader who will fight for affordability, fiscal responsibility, sustainability and the rights of all citizens," Blemur said.

Campbell is seeking to bounce back after losing her 23-year-old son, Jason Campbell, to gun violence in 2021 and losing her state Senate seat to fellow Democrat Jasson Pizzo in 2018.

She also lost the rematch with Pizzo two years later.

Campbell did not return messages for an interview.

But her campaign papers she filed to run for North Miami mayor are in question.

According to the Miami Herald, in April 2022, Campbell listed an address on Northwest 132nd Street in North Miami, a single-family home she purchased in November.

Questions about residency have followed her in the past, in 2018, the Herald found holes in her residency record that made it unclear if she lived in her state Senate district as required, though no official action was taken.

North Miami’s charter says candidates for mayor must live in the city continuously for at least a year before qualifying to run for office.

In addition, Campbell posted a video to YouTube showing her accepting a designer purse stuffed with cash from the pocket of a healthcare nonprofit executive at a 2017 campaign fundraiser, but later insisted it was a “joke.”

The Florida Ethics Commission imposed a $22,500 penalty on Campbell this March after finding she violated state financial disclosure laws by filing forms that failed to include unpaid taxes.

The 66-year-old registered nurse represented North Miami for eight years in the Florida Legislature, first as a state representative and then as a senator.

Medina is a longtime North Miami resident and activist.

He unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2017 and decided to give it another shot in 2024.

Medina said he's running to serve the community with honesty and dedication rather than being driven by personal gain or ambition.

"My commitment to clean air and quality of life has resonated with voters and I will continue to advocate for these rights," he said.