Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins continues to rack up endorsements as she runs for Miami Mayor.
Her latest: a nod from UNITE HERE Local 355[1], a union that represents the collective bargaining interests of more than 7,000 hotel, airport, casino, stadium and restaurant employees across South Florida.
The group is backing Higgins, its Secretary-Treasurer Wendi Walsh said, because she has “always stood up with hospitality workers — from securing living wages[2] for airport employees to supporting safer working conditions and economic opportunity for our families.”
“At a time when Miami is becoming increasingly unaffordable, Eileen has been a proven partner who fights for working people and delivers results,” Walsh said in a statement.
“We are proud to endorse her for Mayor of Miami because we know she will continue standing shoulder to shoulder with us to build a stronger, fairer city.”
The support from UNITE HERE adds to endorsements Higgins has received from other unions, including LiUNA Local 1652[3] and SEIU 32BJ[4]; advocacy groups SAVE Action PAC[5], Equality Florida Action PAC[6], EMILY’s List[7] and Ruth’s List Florida[8]; and Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami Gardens Sen. Shevrin Jones and Miami Rep. Ashley Gantt — all fellow Democrats.
“I am deeply honored to have the support of UNITE HERE Local 355 and the hospitality workers who are the backbone of Miami’s tourism economy,” Higgins said in a statement.
“These workers welcome millions of visitors every year, and they deserve leaders who will fight to ensure Miami is a city where working families can get ahead. As Mayor, I will continue to stand with workers to build a city government that works for everyone and improves residents’ quality of life.”
Higgins is one of 13 candidates[9] running to succeed term-limited Mayor Francis Suarez.
Other Democrats in the race include former Miami Commissioner Ken Russell, Ellijah Bowdre and Michael Hepburn.
Republicans running for Mayor include Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo, former Miami Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla, former City Manager Emilio González, Christian Cevallos, Alyssa Crocker and June Savage.
Candidates Laura Anderson, Kenneth DeSantis and former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez, who previously served as a Miami-Dade Commissioner and is the current Mayor’s father, have no party affiliation.
Miami’s elections are technically nonpartisan.
The General Election is Nov. 4.
If no candidate in a given race receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will compete in a runoff.
References
- ^ UNITE HERE Local 355 (www.unitehere355.org)
- ^ securing living wages (www.miamidade.gov)
- ^ LiUNA Local 1652 (www.liunalocal1652.org)
- ^ SEIU 32BJ (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ SAVE Action PAC (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Equality Florida Action PAC (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ EMILY’s List (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Ruth’s List Florida (ruthslistfl.org)
- ^ 13 candidates (www.voterfocus.com)