Democrat James Reyes and Republican Rosie Cordero-Stutz will face off in November in the race to become Miami-Dade County's first sheriff in nearly 60 years.
Reyes and Cordero-Stutz were the projected winners in Tuesday's Primary Election. Reyes captured 46% of voters, while Cordero-Stutz got 24% of the vote.
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The two will face each other in the general election on Nov. 5.
Cordero-Stutz, the current Miami-Dade Police Department Assistant Director of Investigative Services, competed in a crowded field with 10 other candidates, including Mario Knapp, a 27-year veteran of the Miami-Dade Police Department, and Joe Sanchez, a Miami commissioner of 11 years. She was considered a high-profile candidate as a 28-year veteran with MDPD and even snagged a coveted endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
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"Law and order safety in our community is of the utmost importance to me, and I promise and I’m committed to bringing that to every single citizen regardless of party in this county," she said.
Reyes, the current Chief of Public Safety for Miami-Dade, was endorsed by incumbent Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. He ran against three other candidates, including retired MDPD lieutenant Rickey Mitchell and former federal agent Susan Khoury.
"Letting folks know that I’m homegrown, I’m a homegrown product right here in Miami-Dade County," Reyes said. "That I’m the only candidate that has executive leadership experience in a sheriff’s office and that will prove to be a critical difference."
Decision 2024
Why did the position go away, and why is it coming back?
Miami-Dade County hasn't had a top cop since 1966. Talmadge "T.A." Buchanan, the last person to serve as Miami-Dade sheriff, was faced with corruption allegations, which were enough for voters to pass a referendum abolishing the sheriff’s office that same year. Since then, the head of the department has been an appointed position, currently with the title of "police director."
But that changed in 2018, when Florida voters adopted Amendment 10 to the State Constitution, which prohibits counties from abolishing certain local offices, including sheriff, and requires elections for the offices.
As a result of Amendment 10, effective Jan. 7, 2025, there will be a total of five constitutional offices operating in Miami-Dade, all of which will be run independently from county government. The offices include the sheriff, the supervisor of elections, the property appraiser, the tax collector, and the clerk of the court and comptroller.
