Hispanic like Regalado in Miami mayoral race

Poll: Regalado leads Miami race
BY JUAN CARLOS CHAVEZ, El Nuevo Herald

Just days before the Miami mayoral election, a Florida International University poll gives Tomás Regalado a commanding lead but also finds a huge segment of potential voters undecided.

The poll found that 40 of respondents favored Regalado, with 18 percent supporting his opponent, Joe Sanchez. The remaining 42 percent of voters were undecided.

“It's encouraging,'' Regalado said.

Darío Moreno, director of FIU's Metropolitan Center, which conducted the telephone survey this past week, sampling 405 likely voters, said non-Hispanics are, for the moment, far less engaged in the race than Hispanics.

Indeed, the percentage of undecideds among white non-Hispanics was 50 percent -- and 67 percent among blacks.

The analysis found that Regalado enjoyed equal support -- 52 percent -- among Cuban American voters and Hispanics who are not Cuban.

Regalado, 62, is the longest-serving commissioner in the City of Miami and is known for his decades of work on Spanish-language radio and television in Spanish.

“The fundamental issues we have carried in my campaign and in recent years, such as the concern about the waste of government funds, has given me credibility in all the communities,'' Regalado said.

Sanchez, a former policeman who serves on the commission with Regalado, said the poll is far from the last word and that his political campaign will surprise many at the polls.

“The only number that counts is November 3rd's,'' said Sanchez, 44. “That's the survey we are waiting for.''

Moreno said Hispanics may be more engaged because both candidates have invested more time and money campaigning in Spanish and in the Hispanic community.

“[Otherwise] we would not see these numbers,'' said Moreno.

Alejandro, Barrerra, a community activist and an expert on local politics, called it a “very traditional, Miami-style'' campaign.

Sanchez denied focusing his efforts on any particular group of voters.

“We have a campaign that is representing an entire city,'' he said. “That's what will give us the victory.''

Regalado, too, emphasized that he has devoted time to every neighborhood and said he has a more prominent presence in the African-American community than does Sanchez.

The poll found that Regalado base of support tended to be older voters while Sanchez was favored a bit more by those 44 and under.

Despite the significant margin among voters with a preference, political analyst Fabio predicted a close race in the end because Regalado does not have more than 50 percent.

He added: “The key in the coming days is to not make mistakes and stand by their proposals.''