Dear Friends,
Thank you for the extraordinary support you offered throughout this campaign. Your encouragement, your time, and your belief in a better future for Miami Beach carried us through a close and competitive race. In a field of six candidates separated by only a small margin, every call, every door knock, and every conversation made a meaningful impact. Although our campaign missed the runoff by just 309 votes, I remain genuinely grateful for the opportunity to run for office and to champion the issues that matter most to our community.
As we turn to the runoff, I have reflected carefully on the two remaining candidates. After thoughtful consideration, I am choosing to support Monique Pardo Pope.
Although Monique and I come from different political parties, she has conducted herself with integrity and respect. Throughout the campaign, she remained focused on ideas, solutions, and the well-being of our residents. In a time when Miami Beach is confronting significant threats from state-level preemption, having a Commissioner who can open doors in Tallahassee is not a small advantage. The reality is that many state leaders are Republican, and Democratic candidates often find those doors closed.
I saw this firsthand during my own advocacy trips to Tallahassee in a nonpartisan capacity, where I was able to work across the aisle in ways that some official “Democrats” could not—for the benefit of saving the Art Deco District. If we want to protect home rule and preserve local decision-making, we must be willing to rise above party labels and choose the person best positioned to advocate for our city.
I also want to share several concerns that informed my decision. During the race, I was encouraged by some local Democrats to weaponize deeply personal aspects of Monique’s family history. I refused, because it would have been wrong. Unfortunately, Monica Matteo Salinas did not take the same approach. The political committee Resilient Residents—structured so that its funders will not be disclosed until mid-January 2026—sent multiple hit pieces attacking Monique on personal grounds that were unfair and unbecoming of our community.
This same committee also targeted me with false claims that I fabricated an MDPL endorsement, and the committee questioned my longstanding preservation work. Both accusations were untrue. In a crowded race decided by razor-thin margins, such last-minute misinformation can distort the outcome and erode public trust.
Beyond these tactics, I am concerned about Monica’s vague and inconsistent answers at neighborhood debates regarding overdevelopment, spot zoning, and special exceptions. These issues strike at the heart of Miami Beach’s future. Residents deserve clarity and firm commitments to protect neighborhoods from ad hoc zoning changes and backdoor deals—clarity that, unfortunately, was not demonstrated.
Miami Beach deserves leaders who elevate our civic dialogue, defend our neighborhoods, and put residents first. Based on what I have seen, Monique brings a spirit of respect, openness, and service that our city urgently needs.
You can learn more about Monique and ways to support her candidacy on her campaign website: click here.
Thank you again for standing with me. I remain committed to working with you to protect the integrity, character, and future of Miami Beach.
Best Regards,
Daniel Ciraldo
