Incumbent Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner is officially running for re-election, his campaign announced this week.
Meiner was first elected in November 2023 and is touting his record during his first-term "successfully cracking down on spring break chaos and crime, and prioritizing the prosperity of Miami Beach residents and small businesses."
“We’ve made great progress in restoring order, improving safety, and putting the needs of our residents and businesses first," he said in a statement on Tuesday. "But there’s more work to do, and that’s why I’m running for reelection — to continue fighting for a safer, stronger, and more vibrant Miami Beach for everyone who calls it home.”
Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez has previously announced her campaign for the mayoral seat. The only other announced candidate is political newcomer Victor J. Rosario.
The Miami Beach Mayor serves a two-year term and is limited to three consecutive terms.
Earlier this year, Meiner drew the ire of city residents after he sought to evict and defund O Cinema for screening the Oscar-winning documentary film No Other Land, which chronicled the destruction of a Palestinian village by Israeli military forces in the occupied West Bank.
Meiner, who is Jewish, later dropped the proposal. He had claimed the film was antisemitic and called it "hateful propaganda" for Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip and launched the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that triggered a war. The U.S. has labeled Hamas a terrorist organization.
In February, Meiner led the city’s effort to crack down on Spring Break, imposing curfews, bag searches at the beach, early beach closures, a license plate reader and arrests for drug possession and violence. The successful effort was carried out to curtail years of spring break violence.
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Learn more about Meiner’s mayoral campaign at his website: www.stevenmeiner.com.
Learn more about Rosen Gonzalez's campaign at her website: https://krgformiamibeach.com/
Learn more about Victor J. Rosario's campaign at his website: https://victormayormiamibeach.com/
