The Miami-Dade County commissioner who sponsored Florida’s Live Local Act as state representative was pushed into a runoff after falling short of a majority in Tuesday’s election.Â
Vicki Lopez, the District 5 county commissioner who served as a Republican in the Florida House of Representatives, received just over 42 percent of the vote, falling short of the 50 percent needed to win outright.
She will face Marine Corps veteran Rob Piper in the November runoff. Piper, who is endorsed by the Miami-Dade Democrats, finished second with just under 30 percent. Joe Sanchez, a former Miami City Commission chair who ran for Miami-Dade sheriff in the 2024 Republican primary, received 28 percent of the vote.
Lopez was appointed to the commission in November to replace Eileen Higgins, who left the commission after becoming Miami mayor.
Lopez’s political action committee, Common Sense Government, raised $964,736 this year, with more than 70 percent coming from real estate-related executives and companies, according to filings with the Florida Division of Elections.
Since joining the county commission, Lopez has made affordable housing a central focus and serves as vice chair of the county’s housing committee, which oversees public housing and community development agencies and policies.
Before joining the commission, she served in the Florida House of Representatives, where she sponsored the Live Local Act, pushed legislation to overhaul condominium safety requirements following the Surfside collapse and advocated for expanding accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, to increase the housing supply.
Lopez and Piper both criticized the Florida Legislature’s proposal to cut property taxes, pushed for by Gov. Ron DeSantis, citing concerns about its potential impact on government services.
Elsewhere in the county, Democratic incumbents Marleine Bastien in District 2 and Danielle Cohen Higgins in District 8 were reelected
Meanwhile, Miami voters approved a management deal for the historic Miami Marine Stadium.
More than 68 percent of voters backed Miami Referendum 2, allowing Global Spectrum, a subsidiary of Oak View Group, to manage and operate the 1963-built marine stadium, which closed in 1992. The agreement gives Global Spectrum a 10-year management contract with three renewal options, for a potential 40-year term, and includes a $10 million contribution from the company toward the stadium’s restoration.
The restoration plan calls for converting the stadium’s parking lot into a public water park and recreational facility that would also host events.
Under the deal, the city would receive 93 percent of event sales after deducting a $33,333 monthly management fee, as well as 85 percent of sponsorship revenue. Global Spectrum would receive a $400,000 annual base fee, plus incentive fees equal to 7 percent of gross revenue and food and beverage sales and 15 percent of sponsorship and premium seating revenue.
Voters will decide in November on a new operator and lease agreement of the Marine Stadium Marina and Rickenbacker Marina.Â
Miami commissioners unanimously approved placing on the November ballot a proposed lease with Virginia Key LLC, a joint venture between Miami Beach-based RCI Marine Group and Dallas-based Suntex Marinas. That agreement would give the joint venture control of 27.6 acres encompassing the Rickenbacker Marina and Marine Stadium Marina properties, with a 45-year initial term and two 15-year renewal options that could extend the lease to 75 years.
Read more
Miami voters to decide on restoration, management of historic marine stadium
Billionaires Ross, Pérez among real estate players backing Vicki Lopez’s election
RCI Marine, Suntex’s $80M marina redev plans head to Miami voters
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