Barbara Jordan elected to 3rd term

Jordan defeats Miami Gardens Mayor Shirley Gibson

MIAMI – Miami-Dade voters reelected  county commissioner Barbara Jordan to a third term Tuesday.

Speaking at her victory party, Jordan said she was never worried about this election.

"The voters know my record, they know what I stand for," Jordan said. 

Jordan's opponent, Miami Gardens Mayor Shirley Gibson said she is disappointed in her loss but plans to stay in public service. Gibson was the inaugural mayor of the city, but she is term limited out of office.

Gibson entered the race with backing from billionaire businessman Norman Braman and received one-third of the vote. The other candidate, Wade Jones got 6 percent.

Gibson maintains her seat District 1, which runs from State Road 7 on the east to Miami Gardens, and all the way over to Opa-locka.

Local 10's Senior Political Reporter Michael Putney said Jordan received money from county unions, lobbyists, lawyers, and businesspeople. But Putney added that Gibson had plenty of backers, too.

"My focus is going to be for District 1, that it is a very diverse district. I've been walking that district, found that people on the west side didn't even know that they are not in District 1. On the east side, change is well," she said earlier in August on This Week in South Florida.

Gibson is a retired Miami-Dade police officer and the founding mayor of Miami Gardens, which is in Commissioner Jordan's District. But Jordan initially opposed Miami Gardens.

"Communities in the past have cherry picked. They pick the best of the best and they leave the lesser communities, in terms of financial resources, to the county," said Jordan in an interview with the Miami Herald last month.

"I believe in incorporation. I hear the commissioner say, 'Well, I don't support it now because it's cherry picking.' She's a sitting commissioner. It's her responsibility not to eliminate that disparity," said Gibson.

Gibson and Jordan were scheduled to debate on This Week in South Florida, but Jordan didn't show. Her campaign manager told Putney that Jordan believes Local 10's coverage of her has been unfair, a reference to an investigation into Jordan's repeated use of the commission's sergeant at arms as her personal chauffeur.

Jordan said her diabetes affects her eyesight, forcing her to call on the police officer to drive.

"I'm sorry to hear that she does have a condition with diabetes; however, I have seen her being driven constantly," said Gibson.

Commissioner Jordan has made a big deal of the fact that auto dealer Norman Braman is backing Gibson, said Putney. Gibson said she's glad to have Braman's support, but that he doesn't control her.