Caribbean Americans experienced mixed fortunes in last month’s South Florida elections, which decided races for a wide ranging number of seats.
“Holness, Dale” While there was a sprinkling of success stories at the ballot, many fell into the loss column as well. Caribbean Today is offering a selection of results in this month’s issue.
Among the successful candidates was Jamaican-born incumbent Dale Holness, who, with 87 percent of the votes, swamped challenger Garrington Essue in the race for Broward County commissioner, District 9.
Mike Gelin, son of Haitian parents, won a three-way race to for the District 2 commission seat in the city of Tamarac. Incumbent Dotie Joseph beat fellow Caribbean American Democrat Georges Bossous in the race for state representative, District 108.
Other winners with Caribbean roots included Incumbent Anika Omphroy, who earned re-election to represent Democrats in District 95, Florida House of Representatives, by edging Jasmen Rogers-Shaw 50 percent to 49 percent.
Carla Spalding earned the right carry the Republican banner in the race for U.S. representative in District 23 against incumbent Democrat Debbie Wasserman-Schultz by winning her primary.
LOSERS
However, multiple Caribbean American candidates fell into the losing column.
Jamaican-born attorney Marlon Hill (22 percent) finished third in his race for District 9, Miami-Dade commissioner, and will not be in November’s run-off. Kionne McGhee (36 percent) and Elvis Maldonado (23 percent) will contest that.
Haitian American educator Marie Flore Lindor-Latortue also lost her bid for a seat on the Miami-Dade School Board, District 7 and Jamaican-born Lavern Deer fared badly in her bid to become mayor of Miami Gardens, earning just seven percent of the votes.
Haitian American Daphne Campbell finished runner-up in the race for state Senate seat District 35 to winner Shevrin “Shev” Jones. The winner earned 43 percent of the votes to Campbell’s 15 percent.Elizabeth Burns lost her bid to a City of Pembroke Pines commissioner.
Incumbent Alcee Hastings beat Haitian American Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick by almost 40 percentage points (69 percent to 30 percent) in the Democratic primary race to represent District 20 in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Ashira Mohammad lost the race to represent District 101 in the Florida House. The race was won by Marie Woodson with 37 percent of the votes. Mohammad finished third with 30 percent.
JUDGE
However, incumbent Phoebee Francois was elected Broward County judge - Group 27 by a whopping margin. Francois earned 71 percent of the votes to rival Jacob Segal’s 28 percent.
Caribbean American Melba Pearson (38 percent) lost big to Katherine Fernandez Rundle (61 percent) in the race for state attorney, Miami-Dade, Florida. So too did Gepsie Metellus (21 percent) and Tisa McGhee (14 percent) to Keon Hardemon (49 percent) in the race for Miami-Dade commissioner, District 3.
Haitian American educator Marie Flore Lindor-Latortue also lost her bid for a seat on the Miami-Dade School Board, District 7. Francis Ragoo and Linda Julien were also eliminated from the race for Seat 5, Miami Gardens City Council.
Former police officer Andrew Smalling was swamped in the for Broward County sheriff, earning just four percent of the votes. Incumbent Gregory Tony and Scott Israel finished top two with 37 percent and 35 percent, respectively.
However, Gordon Weeks led all challengers in the race for Broward public defender, finishing with 47 percent of the votes.
