By james art Many would agree that in a time of shaky faith in the integrity of American elections, it is vital that election officials be as outwardly apolitical as possible.
Republican State of Miami Alina Garciathe GOP candidate for Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections (SOE), apparently disagrees.
She was caught on camera joining a group opposing the Democratic candidate for US Senate Debbie Mucarsell-Powell with chants of “socialista” (socialist). At one point, she puts a hand on Mucarcell-Powell’s shoulder, prompting a nearby police officer to tell her “No touching.”
According to Garcia, the confrontation was fabricated and the video was misleading. She told Florida Politics that the confrontation, which occurred Sunday at a rally she and other Republican candidates are holding at an early voting location in Hammocks County, happened after Mukarsel-Powell and other Democrats showed up. to thwart him.
Hialeah Rep. Alex Rizzochairman of the Miami-Dade Republican Party, agreed with Garcia and said Mucarcel-Powell was engaging in “a dangerous and disgraceful act of political thuggery.”
A 23 second clipposted on X Monday by a Miami Herald reporter Doug Hanksshowed Garcia and others accusing Mucarcel-Powell of being a socialist, and Garcia briefly making physical contact with Mucarcel-Powell. This prompted several critical comments.
But other clips posted by a communications consultant Chris Hartline suggest that Mucarsel-Powell instigated the exchange. One shows her a campaign bus arrives at the early voting location. Another shows Mukarsel-Powell walking towards crowd of republican demonstrators. As she does, she bumps into a woman wearing a t-shirt supporting the Republican Party of the United States. Carlos Jimenezwho removed her from office in 2020.
Democratic candidate in Florida Marco Reyeswho was with Mucarcel-Powell when the incident occurred at an early voting event, said Garcia should withdraw from the race.
Lisette Fernandezthe co-founder of Mothers for Libroswrote: “What kind of supervisor will (Garcia) be if he can easily engage in these culture wars and spread this kind of misinformation?”
The misinformation Fernandez alluded to is, in part advertised in advertisements endorsing the man Mucarcell-Powell hopes to unseat, Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott. One such ad points to her support for the proposed Green New Deal, which would reorient some US economic policies toward renewable and clean energy, and Kamala Harris plan to impose a 28% tax on long-term capital gains earned by millionaires and billionaires.
The video also attracted the attention of Garcia’s opponent Adv JC Planasa Republican-turned-Democrat former lawmaker who specializes in elections and ethics law. He called Garcia’s actions “deeply disturbing” and “disqualifying for a candidate for supervisor of elections who is supposed to be honest and impartial.”
At the very least, he said, Garcia owes the voters of Mucarcell-Powell and Miami-Dade an apology.
“This behavior is troubling and highly inappropriate coming from someone who is running to run an election for all voters of Miami-Dade County,” he said in a prepared statement.
“During early voting this past week, I met many candidates, including some from the opposing party, and greeted them warmly to convey to everyone that I intend to be an election supervisor for all. While we know there can be healthy debate in elections, intimidation, harassment and physical contact of any kind is never acceptable.
Garcia said Mucarcel-Powell took a page out of the “communist playbook” on Sunday and was met with an appropriate response.
“They were pushing him. We had a press conference and they managed to stop it because the cameras went to follow her instead of continuing with the press conference, so we closed it and went out to go about our day,” she said by phone. “She went there to campaign. They had a camera, a whole bunch of stuff. So everyone started shouting “Debbie the Communist” because that’s what Communists do. They come when you have a peaceful event with your people and try to annoy you and shut you down.
Rizzo said the event was a “well-attended rally” in support of Scott and “focused on positive messages urging Miami-Dade voters to get to the polls. Mucarcell-Powell then appeared, he said, and “was seen inciting the crowd, pushing agitators towards Senator Scott’s supporters, risking injury and endangering lives.”
“There is no place for these Castro-style scare tactics in American politics,” he said by email, adding that Mucarcel-Powell, not Garcia, owed voters an apology. “Miami-Dade wants leaders who protect our community, not tear it down.”
This election marks the first time Miami-Dade voters will elect a Supervisor of Elections and Tax Collector, both appointed from positions appointed by mayors under the county’s 1957 charter. In 2018, Florida voters— inclusive 58% of Miami-Dade voters — approved a constitutional amendment requiring each county in the state to elect those offices, sheriff and property assessor, by January 7, 2025.
The general election is on November 5.
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