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Voters in Miami-Dade County determined the fates of three commission races Tuesday, with two seats decided outright and a third contest moving forward to a runoff election. The primary results illustrated diverse priorities across the county’s districts, from infrastructure investment to fiscal accountability and public safety.
In District 2, incumbent Commissioner Marleine Bastien dominated her field, securing 78 percent of the vote to retain her seat. The nonprofit founder and executive, first elected in 2022, has made infrastructure development along the 27th Avenue corridor and county budget reduction central to her platform. Her opponents were trapeze artist Miguel “Skip” Quintero, a failed 2024 mayoral candidate who advocates for transparency and universal basic income, and Ernst Jean Louis, a security services professional who founded a Creole-language newspaper.
District 5’s three-way contest produced no clear victor, forcing a runoff between the top finishers. Incumbent Commissioner Vicki Lopez claimed 42 percent of ballots after being appointed following Eileen Higgins’ election as Miami mayor, while U.S. Marine Corps veteran Rob Piper finished second with 29 percent. Lopez cited her prior Florida House experience as qualification for budget management, while Piper has called for a fiscal analysis task force. Former Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joe Sanchez, emphasizing law enforcement credentials and quality-of-life concerns, fell short of advancing.
In District 8, which includes Homestead and Palmetto Bay, trial lawyer Danielle Cohen Higgins retained her commission seat with approximately 55 percent of the vote. Running against nonprofit CEO Martha “Vega” Hero and former Palmetto Bay Vice Mayor John DuBois, Cohen Higgins stressed her attention to detail and budget expertise. Hero emphasized government-organization collaboration and fiscal transparency, while DuBois campaigned on accountable, resident-focused leadership.
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