Peter Schorsch
The June 3 Special Election to fill the District 4 seat on the Miami City Commission will have plenty of drama, according to a new survey.
The poll from Kaplan Strategies puts Jose Regalado and Ralph Rosado at 27% support each, with a whopping 46% of voters still undecided weeks before Election Day. Both are running to replace the late Commissioner Manolo Reyes.
While the two have similar levels of support, Rosado earns better favorable ratings at +12, as compared to +6 for Regalado.
Pollsters found that 35% of voters view Rosado favorably, with 14% giving him very favorable marks. Another 23% view him unfavorably, while 14% have a very unfavorable opinion.
For Regalado, he has a 30% favorability rating, with 17% seeing him very favorably. And 24% view him unfavorably, with 11% having a very unfavorable view.
“This poll shows what we’ve been feeling on the ground — our message of independence, transparency, and new leadership at City Hall is resonating with residents,” Rosado said in a statement responding to the poll results.
“While my opponent was counting on a famous last name, I’ve been out knocking on doors, listening to neighbors, and earning trust the right way. We’re building momentum every day, and I’m confident that voters are ready for a fresh start.”
The poll sampled 304 likely voters and ran May 10-13. It has a margin of error of 5.6 percentage points.
Rosado has earned support from the Miami Fraternal Order of Police and the AFSCME Local 1907, which represents most of the city’s municipal employees.
Regalado, meanwhile, recently pulled in support from the Miami Young Republicans, joining other backers that include the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, Miami’s Community News, Miami Association of Firefighters Local 587 and Reyes’ widow, Chacha Reyes.
Rosado previously served as Village Manager for North Bay Village. He ran unsuccessfully against Reyes in 2017. Rosado is also the President of Rosado & Associates, which provides urban planning and neighborhood revitalization services.
Regalado was the Assistant Director for Miami’s Building Department before launching his run. His sister, Raquel Regalado, serves on the Miami-Dade County Commission and is a former School Board member. Their father, Tomás Regalado, served as Miami’s Mayor and is now the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser.
Both Regalado and Rosado are Republicans, though the race is nonpartisan.
