MIAMI — There is a three-way race heating up for the Miami-Dade Commission’s District 2 seat.

The district encompasses parts of Miami, North Miami, Opa-locka and Hialeah.

Running for the seat are incumbent Commissioner Marleine Bastien, trapeze artist Miguel “Skip” Quintero and newcomer Ernst Jean.

Bastien, a nonprofit founder and executive who won the seat in 2022, says her priorities also include investing in infrastructure like the 27th Avenue corridor.

“When I was elected, I promised the people I would invest in affordable housing, and since (there are now) 4,000 affordable housing units,” she said.

On the budget, Bastien admitted the county needs to make cuts, but did not offer any specifics.

“We are looking at some of the expenses,” she said. “We are looking at some of the plans. It is a process which we are engaging and we have already started.”

Quintero is a South Florida native who made an unsuccessful run for Miami-Dade County mayor in 2024.

“We can do better,” he said. “I have an interest in protecting my homestead, my way of life, my home business.”

Quintero describes himself as a First Amendment advocate who lists transparency as a main priority.

“Any time on the clock, doing the people’s work, there’s a camera on me, live,” he said.

He also said he wants universal basic income.

“Our idea is all new development, particularly from mixed use development,” he said. “The community is going to be the owners.”

He thinks bloat in the county budget comes from personnel and would cut Strive 305, the county’s small business support program.

“What is the government picking and choosing who to give money to for these small businesses, how are they vetted?” he asked.

As for Ernst Jean, after making initial contact, he stopped communicating with Local 10 News.

Records show his primary source of income is Allied Universal Services.

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