August in South Florida usually tends to be scorching hot. Well, it’s about to get más caliente on Key Biscayne this summer.
Veteran politician, and Miami-Dade County government official Joe Rasco became the first resident to jump into the 2022 Key Biscayne mayoral election pool early this week.
And, it didn’t take long for a couple of other well-known figures on the island to dive in, forming what is expected to be a sizzling Aug. 23 primary election.
Fausto Gomez, president of the Key Biscayne Condominium Presidents’ Council, and Katie Petros, who served on the Village Council from 2016-2020, officially qualified Friday.
It will be the first mayoral primary on Key Biscayne since Oct. 1, 1998, when Rasco collected 735 votes to win a three-way race against Michele Padovan (now Estevez), who collected 478 votes, and Jim Peters, who had 287. Rasco, falling just 16 votes short of a majority, went on to defeat Padovan by collecting 61% of the November vote.
Results of the Mayoral and Village Council 1996 election
In the previous election, in 1996, John Festa emerged in another rare, three-way primary race. The other two candidates at that time were Raul Llorente, who gave up his Council seat for the mayoral race, and Ed Meyer.
Rasco, 67, who was part of the Village’s 1991 incorporation efforts and a member of the first Village Council, was re-elected as Mayor in 2000. He had served as Vice Mayor in 1993-94.
“After much reflection and with full support from my wife and children, it is an honor that I announce my candidacy for Mayor for the Village of Key Biscayne,” he wrote in a statement for Islander News. “This election will be the most important election in our Village’s history.
“We need a Mayor who will listen to our residents, lead ethically with honesty and transparency, and work for the best interests of our residents and not any special interests.”
He closed by saying: “Throughout this campaign I look forward to speaking with all of our residents and earning your support to serve you as Mayor once again.”
Rasco, who has lived on Key Biscayne for more than 40 years, has been representing District 7 on the Virginia Key Advisory Board, and is the Director of Internal Governmental Affairs for Miami-Dade County.
For Gomez, 68, although not a stranger to politics having served as chief of staff for legendary City of Miami Mayor, Maurice Ferre, this will be his first public office election.
He was born in Cuba, came to South Florida when he was 6, and has owned property on Key Biscayne for 22 years.
“I have the knowledge, resources, time and desire to contribute to my community,” he said Friday. “I was successful for 38 years in Tallahassee (as a lobbyist), representing some of the biggest interests in Florida, as well as the most needy organizations, including the March of Dimes, Goodwill and groups dedicated to those who are developmentally disabled.
“I also represented Key Biscayne and obtained close to $15 million in support from the state, as well as passed important legislation to fund Crandon Boulevard, maintain our fire department and maintain our transportation funding.”
Gomez also has served as Ocean Club president for six years “at the time it was being re-imagined with a total rebuild and refresh of the property,” and also is the current president of Lake Tower at the Ocean Club, where he resides.
“I’ll be running a campaign so my neighbors get to know me and what my vision is for Key Biscayne,” he said. “Every candidate criticizes; I don’t. I build upon what is there and make (what’s best for the community).”
Petros won enough votes in 2016 to gain a Council seat despite having no previous public political experience.
She was part of the Protect KB Paradise political committee supporting the General Obligation Bond referendum that passed in 2020, designed to protect the Village from sea level rise, storms and climate change.
In a September 2020 letter, published in Islander News, Petros thanked the Key Biscayne Community.,
“I will continue to be an active participant in matters that concern us all. Going forward, I will have the opportunity to devote more time to projects of which I am personally invested, including infrastructure upgrades, beach and water quality concerns, and an enhanced library.”
Now a Senior Financial Account Manager for Pilot.com, she confirmed her intention to run for Mayor in an email to Islander News earlier this week.
Will others join the mayoral race?
New mayoral candidates, who have until June 17 to fill all the proper paperwork to qualify, will be vying to replace Mike Davey, who ran unopposed in 2020 to gain his second two-year term.
The trio of candidates will occasionally campaign in the brutal summer heat for a non-paying role.
“August is going to be hot,” Gomez said, “temperature, and politically as well.”
Meanwhile, the qualifying period for the Village Council election is from noon on Aug. 15 to noon on Aug. 25.
Aspiring candidates for the four-year terms can schedule an appointment with the Village Clerk by calling (305) 365-5506.
Additionally, the Village has organized a “Clean Campaign Class” sponsored by the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust and the Miami-Dade County Department of Elections.
The two-hour seminar will provide essential information to avoid legal pitfalls, correctly raise and report funds, properly keep records, and understand the legal and ethical obligations of seeking public office.
The seminar is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, 2022 at the Village Council Chamber 560 Crandon Boulevard (behind the fire station).
For more information, contact the Village Clerk’s office at (305) 365-5506.
