Former Rep. Mike Grieco is taking his message for the Miami Beach Mayor's race to the airwaves Wednesday — during the first Republican presidential debate.
Grieco's campaign for the city's top elected office has taken out a 30-second TV spot set to run on Fox News during the debate's two-hour block beginning at 9 p.m. ET.
The ad, viewable below, highlights the Democrat's legislative record and goals for the technically nonpartisan Mayor post, from protecting the environment and stopping "irresponsible" construction to addressing public safety and roadway congestion issues.
"With less than 90 days remaining until Election Day, this strategic move amplifies Grieco's trusted leadership and his commitment to tackle traffic challenges by appointing the (city's) first Chief Traffic Officer," his campaign said.
A criminal defense lawyer in private life who began his career as an Assistant State Attorney before his election to the Miami Beach City Commission, Grieco said he's spent the past decade fighting for residents and "always delivering on the promises made."
"I have a clear, comprehensive plan to get things done on the issues that matter, like keeping our communities safe and giving residents a voice in City Hall, flooding problems, stopping overdevelopment, and addressing our traffic," he said.
Grieco won election in 2018 to the Florida House, where he distinguished himself as an outside-the-box lawmaker. Proposals he filed in the 2022 Legislative Session include a measure that would have allowed for therapeutic studies of psychedelics, MDMA and ketamine, and "Greyson's Law," which aimed to enhance protections for children against parental harm. Though neither measure passed under Grieco's sponsorship, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a revamped version of "Greyson's Law" in May filed by Democratic Boynton Beach Sen. Lori Berman, who backed the bill with Grieco the year prior.
In November 2021, Grieco announced he would forgo seeking a third House term to challenge Miami Republican Sen. Ileana Garcia. He dropped out of the race six and a half months later, complaining of funding woes and a lack of support from the Florida Democratic Party. Garcia defeated his replacement, former Miami Beach Commission candidate Raquel Pacheco.
This January, a judge examining a 2017 campaign finance scandal involving Grieco as a City Commissioner called for the Florida Supreme Court to suspend his law license for 90 days, among other penalties. Grieco's attorney in the case, Ben Kuehne, told the Miami Herald his client "respects the recommendation" but added that "Miami Beach voters have known of this topic and have elected and re-elected (Grieco) to the Florida Legislature."
Grieco has remained active in the community since leaving office. He continues to serve on the Board of Governors for the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce. Other involvements have included service on the Adrienne Arsht Center Board of Directors and the President's Cabinet for the Nicklaus Children's Hospital Foundation, where he served as President.
He is one of four candidates running to succeed Mayor Dan Gelber, a fellow Democrat who must leave office this year due to term limits. They include nonparty Miami Beach Vice Mayor Steven Meiner, former Democratic City Commissioner Michael Góngora and Bill Roedy, a former MTV and HBO executive who belongs to the Independent Party of Florida. This election marks Roedy's first run for public office.
Since entering the Mayor's race on Feb. 1, Grieco has raised nearly $538,000.
That places him third in overall fundraising gains behind Góngora, who leads the contest with $792,000 raised and Roedy, who stacked $655,000 in June, his first month running and the last month for which campaign finance information is available under Florida's new quarterly reporting rules.
Meiner, who entered the race on June 2, raised about $20,000 through the end of the month.
Miami Beach's General Election is on Nov. 7. If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote earners will compete in a Nov. 21 runoff.
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