Is Gables mayor the top for Vince Lago? Or is he still climbing?
An hour before all the votes were counted in the April 13 Coral Gables mayoral race, Vice Mayor Vince Lago pulled up to Bay 13 Brewery near Miracle Mile and, trailing one of his oldest friends, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, jogged into a crowd of raucous applause.
Unfinished vote tallies projected onto a large screen updated every few minutes. But no one was studying the numbers.
The race was effectively done, and attendees — a who’s who of Miami-area politicos — were instead clinking drinks and toasting Lago, the latest young Miami Republican to reach the top of the municipal mountain.
“I’m feeling euphoric,” Lago told the Miami Herald.
Lago’s 20-point win over a two-term commissioner in a bruising, highturnout election wasn’t just a validation of his 20-month campaign. For the polished, 43-year-old construction executive, it was an affirmation of years of work building to this moment and perhaps beyond as his clique emerges as the next iteration of leaders in the Miami GOP.
“He is kind of this bridge between the old guard and this new generation,” said Jessica Fernandez, chair of the Florida Young Republicans, who was at his election night party. “I see Vince being the next congressman. I can see Francis being Governor Suarez or Senator Suarez.”
Lago, who has meticulously tailored his image much like his famously stringent upper-class suburb has manicured its early 20th century Mediterranean design, was in some ways the inevitable mayor of a city becoming a hub for young, PanAmerican professionals. He replaces mayor Raúl Valdés-Fauli, who leaves office well into his 70s.
Few doubted Lago’s chances, even when he faced a deluge of attacks suggesting he was racist during the final two weeks of the campaign after the Miami Herald reported that he’d signed a letter criticizing steps taken by his daughters’ private Catholic school to address racism. After the story ran, Lago lost endorsements.
The normally available politician refused repeated requests for an interview for this story and would only answer questions in writing through email. But on election night, he said voters had chosen him because he is “transparent,” and “ethical” and “represents this community.”
“Vince has been very effective in creating kind of a very strong brand for himself,” FIU political science professor Dario Moreno said. “I think it has helped him to appeal to some people who may not ordinarily vote for him.”
Lago has been building his résumé since he was first elected to the city commission in April 2013. He made himself ubiquitous, appearing frequently at gatherings and hearing out residents and voters with events like “Open Door Fridays,” when anyone could come to see him without an appointment.
He already represents Coral Gables on the county’s Transportation Planning Organization and sits on the board of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities, a group led by mayors of municipalities.
His list of sponsored legislation is long, and he’s often the go-to liaison between the city and county commissioners or state legislators. He writes editorials, memos and newsletters, and holds town hall meetings.
He distinguished himself as a champion of environmental initiatives, often mentioning that he
VINCE HAS BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE IN CREATING KIND OF A VERY STRONG BRAND FOR HIMSELF. FIU political science professor Dario Moreno
drives an electric car himself.
And he sponsored many efforts to make the Gables greener, leading the Gables to be the first city in Florida to ban plastic bags and Styrofoam — a decision an appeals court later shot down in a lawsuit brought on by the Florida Retail Federation.
“Vince Lago’s leadership has meant everything,” said Susan Glickman, the Florida Director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. “So much of this is about political will ... We are seeing local governments, in the place of leadership at the state level, filling in the void they are leaving.”
Don Slesnick, who served as Coral Gables’ mayor for 10 years from 2001 to 2011, said Lago’s election signals “hope and promise” residents can expect when new leadership comes in.
“The energy in city hall will pick up and there will be new enthusiasm” said Slesnick, who supported Lago’s run. “It’s important to have a person who wants to hear from the citizens and calculate their input in his decision making.”
IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY
For Lago, politics is a family tradition. His grandfather Vicente Lago Pereda, was Cuba’s Chief of Public Health in the 1940s and he served in the Cuban Congress from 1948 to 1952. Lago’s father, Coral Gables gastroenterologist Vicente Lago, has been involved in human rights advocacy efforts nationally and internationally.
“Ever since I was a child, my family has taught me the importance of giving back to the community through public service and philanthropy,” Lago wrote in an email.
Lago was born Vicente Lago in New Orleans, and moved to Coral Gables as a young child. He graduated from Gulliver Preparatory School and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from FIU as well as a master’s in construction management from the Engineering School at FIU.
He went on to become an executive at BDI Construction Company, a firm that specializes in commercial construction of medical and educational facilities.
He is married to Olga Mari Saizarbitoria Lago, a Coral Gables native and research analyst. The couple has two young daughters: Mirentxu, 10 and Catalin, 7.
His family, who surrounded him on election night, has been “incredibly supportive” of his political ambitions.
“As a father of two little girls, I am inspired to teach my daughters the importance of public service like my family taught me,” he wrote in an email.
With the help of fundraiser Brian Goldmeier, Lago emerged this election as a fundraising juggernaut. He outraised — and outspent — all the Coral Gables mayoral and commission candidates, raising more than $382,000 in his campaign account since January 2020, with donations averaging about $660. His political committee, Coral Gables First, raised an additional half million on his behalf since Lago set up his campaign account in September 2019.
Those totals point to one of Lago’s greatest strengths as a politician: He has friends. Lots of them.
At Bar 13 on election night, a slew of of politicians, lobbyists and activists from around MiamiDade County cheered Lago on as the first results posted, showing little chance of Keon gaining on him. Hialeah commissioner Oscar de la Rosa and West Miami Vice Mayor Eric Diaz-Padron were there. So was former Miami mayor Xavier Suarez, Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla and
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado.
SUAREZ A FRIEND
When Lago arrived, trailing behind the younger Suarez, who warmed up the crowd, he began hugging friends, lifting them off the ground. The younger Suarez, who has known Lago since they were children, has enjoyed months of positive, national press over his efforts to lure tech startups to Miami and brand his city as a metropolis of the future. Last week, Nikki Haley, a likely 2024 Republican presidential candidate, sought out facetime with Suarez in Miami in a meeting that carried vice presidential undertones.
Similarly, people expect big things from Lago, even though the Gables hasn’t been a jumping-off point for higher office.
De la Rosa said the new mayor strikes “the right tone” that is reflective of a shift in the Republican party. Lago is “one of the few elected officials who I can tell really cares about his community,” he said .
“He’s focused on the environment, equality, issues regarding the bay,” he said. “At the same time, he is concerned about not raising taxes, fiscal conservatism, making sure we don’t go too crazy on budgets and spending.”
Diaz-Padron, a longtime friend of Lago’s who was at the party, said while he hopes Lago someday runs for an office at the county level, the new mayor “just really, really cares” when it comes to serving his local community.
“There is nobody that’s been as steadfast in accomplishing goals and doing them correctly,” he said. “It’s something that Republicans can get more behind.”
Fernandez said she sees a bright future for the young mayor.
“With people like Vince, the sky’s the limit,” she said.
Nelson Diaz, the former chair of the Miami-Dade County Republican Party, agreed, mentioning that Lago’s conservative stances but pro-environment views echo those of GOP Sen. Ileana Garcia and even Gov. Ron DeSantis. He added that winning an election with 60% in Democrat-leaning Coral Gables signals a broad base of support.
“His point of view can appeal across the board,” Diaz said. “Candidates do matter.”
Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid, who was elected at 32, said young Republicans like himself and Lago “represent the future of the party.”
“It’s a natural progression,” he said. “County mayor to senate races, to even the presidency. The talent is increasing every single day in local government. I definitely see leaders like myself and Vince being the future of the party.”
Moreno noted that historically, Coral Gables hasn’t produced elected officials who run for county or statewide office. It’s been home to heavy hitters like former Gov. Jeb Bush and one-time Rick Scott finance Chairman Mike Fernandez, but politicians elected to serve the city don’t often elevate their careers outside of Coral Gables.
Still, Lago’s strong political alliances have reinforced his image as a “probusiness, up-and-coming” future leader, Moreno said.
Lago declined to comment on his future ambitions, but told the Herald in an emailed statement that as mayor, his top three priorities will be to govern with transparency, preserve the city’s historic and aesthetic integrity by vetting zoning code changes with residents and stakeholders.
“Representing the best interest of the community is part of his vision,” Commissioner staff Chelsea Granell said on behalf of Lago.
Samantha J. Gross: @samanthajgross