2009 Miami mayoral election
November 3, 2009
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| Elections in Florida |
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| Government |
The 2009 Miami mayoral election took place on November 3, 2009. Incumbent Mayor Manny Diaz was term-limited and unable to seek re-election to a third term. Two candidates ran to succeed him: City Commissioner Tomás Regalado and City Commission Chairman Joe Sánchez.
Candidates
- Tomás Regalado, City Commissioner[1]
- Joe Sanchez, City Commission Chairman[1]
Campaign
The candidates sharply differed on the direction of the city, with Sánchez positioning himself as a supporter of outgoing (term limited) mayor Many Diaz's administration, while Regalado positioning himself as an opponent of Diaz's administration,[2] and over the construction of Marlins Park, with Sánchez supporting it and Regalado opposed.[3] Sanchez aligned with Diaz's support support for large development projects in the city. Regalado had been a frequent critic of Diaz and preceding mayors.[4]
Though observers predicted a close race,[5] Regalado defeated Sánchez in a landslide, winning his first term with 72 percent of the vote.[6] Voter turnout was low, and Regalado was regarded to have benefited with dissatisfaction at the poor state of the local economy and a national wave of anti-incumbent sentiment (capitalizing on the perception that Sanchez was tied to Diaz).[4]
In the final weeks of the campaign, Regaldo focused his messaging on lambasting billions of dollars spent on major public works projects in the city (many of which had been backed by both Sanchez and Diaz), characterizing them as an insulting use of money amid high property taxes and increasing unemployment in Miami.[4]
Results
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomás Regalado | 27,937 | 71.51 | |
| Joe Sanchez | 11,128 | 28.49 | |
| Total votes | 39,065 | 100 | |
References
- ^ a b Reinhard, Beth (June 24, 2009). "City of Miami mayor's race gearing up". Miami Herald: Naked Politics. Miami, Florida. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Munzenrieder, Kyle (October 26, 2009). "With Only a Week Left in the Mayoral Race, 42 Percent of Voters Are Still Undecided". Miami New Times. Miami, Florida. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Rabin, Charles (September 17, 2009). "Mayoral hopefuls spar in fiery debate". Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. p. 1B. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ a b c Rabin, Charles; Vasquez, Michael; Yanez, Luisa (November 4, 2009). "Anti-development candidate wins big in Miami mayor's race". McClatchy DC. The Miami Herald. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ^ Chavez, Juan Carlos (October 25, 2009). "Poll gives Regalado wide lead". Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. p. 1B, 2B. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Rabin, Charles; Vasquez, Michael; Yanez, Luisa (November 4, 2009). "Regalado Is Miami's next mayor". Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. p. 1A. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ "GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION - MIAMI, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 3, 2009" (PDF). Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections. November 6, 2009. Retrieved July 21, 2025.