Incumbent Miami-Dade Commissioner Knocked Off By Newcomer
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Daniella Levine Cava took a break from breaking down her campaign headquarters Wednesday to laugh and happily hug a supporter. The political newcomer and former not-for-profit agency director had reason to be happy. In Tuesday's primary, Levine Cava upset incumbent Miami-Dade County Commissioner Lynda Bell in a race that was divided along party lines and nastily contested. It also set a record for the amount of money spent on a county commission race, the two candidates spending some $1.2 million.
Reflecting on her victory Wednesday, Levine Cava said, "People are really hungry for change, hungry for positive change, somebody who was going to fight for the needs of people and communities."
Click here to watch Gary Nelson's report.
Hers was a partisan non-partisan campaign.
Bell had attacked Levine Cava as being a tax and spend liberal. She was supported by the Democratic Party and by many public employee unions.
Levine Cava responded that Bell - supported by GOP leaders - was a Tea Party Republican. One ad showed Bell posing with Governor Rick Scott.
Levine Cava portrayed Bell as a "pay to play" power broker, catering to powerful lobbyists and developers, many of whom supported Bell's campaign. Bell was also took a political hit after sponsoring a bill that expanded the use of fencing in residential areas of the county, without disclosing that her son-in-law owns a fence company.
Levine Cava won by fewer than 700 votes among more than 17,000 that were cast, a margin of slightly less than four percent.
She was hurt at the polls, she says, by attack ads that contained false information. One late mailing claimed that Levine Cava had supported the hugely unpopular Miami Marlins stadium project - built with taxpayers' dollars. In fact, Cava says she and her non-profit agency were on record in opposition to the stadium deal.
"There were so many people that would have voted for me, I believe, had they not been confused by some of the deception," Levine Cava said.
As for being a "tax and spend" liberal, Levine Cava says she has had time to examine county finances and may oppose tax hikes in favor of spending cuts.
"We need to make sure we are spending money on things that are priorities in the communities." she said. "There are definitely things in the budget that could be shaved."
Levine Cava said that, while there were partisan lines in the campaign, she will work to build bridges on the county commission.
"My whole life has been about coalition building," she said. "That's what I did to win this race, and that's what I'll do to govern."
When asked what her defeated opponent said in her concession call, Levine Cava said, "I have received no concession call."
Bell did not make any election night statement and did not respond to repeated messages left by CBS4 News with her campaign and county staff.
Levine Cava hopes to connect with Bell and her staff to establish an orderly transition of power between now and november when the new commissioner is sworn into office.
Levine Cava said she received a congratulatory call from Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who has clashed with the employee unions that supported Levine Cava's campaign.
The commissioner-elect said she looks forward to working with Gimenez and the county commission in a spirit of collaboration.
Late Wednesday afternoon, Bell issued a written statement saying in part, "While I am disappointed in yesterday's election results, you can rest assured that I will continue to champion the causes and initiatives our community needs…and uphold the highest standards of excellence…that you have come to expect and so richly deserve."
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