Can the former mayor of Surfside run Miami-Dade County? He’s waging a long shot bid

When Shlomo Danzinger won an upset victory to become the mayor of Surfside in March 2022, nine months after the collapse of Champlain Towers South that killed 98 people and forever changed the small beach town, he vowed to work amicably with his colleagues to try to unify a reeling community and its divided government.

It quickly became clear that wouldn’t be an easy task. Warring factions on the town commission had trouble finding common ground. And Danzinger, a 45-year-old Toronto native who had moved to Surfside from New York a decade earlier, was often in the thick of the controversy — over issues such as his opposition to flying an LGBTQ Pride flag at the town’s community center, an overseas trip he took to meet with the new developer of the condo collapse site, and his questioning of a rival commissioner’s ability to speak English.

In March, Danzinger, Surfside’s first Orthodox Jewish mayor, was narrowly voted out of office and unseated by his predecessor, Charles Burkett.

Now, Danzinger is looking to make a big leap in his young political career.

In April, weeks after losing his reelection bid in Surfside, he filed to run for mayor of Miami-Dade County, entering a crowded field of candidates hoping to oust Democrat Daniella Levine Cava. The election is Aug. 20 and will be followed by a November runoff between the top two finishers if no one gets more than 50% of the vote.

Danzinger declined an interview request for this story but gave written responses to questions from the Miami Herald.

“I am dedicated to being a representative who listens to and advocates for all people, fostering unity and creating an environment where everyone feels empowered and represented,” he said when asked about his remark to the rival commissioner, who is bilingual, and how he would represent Miami-Dade’s diverse communities.

Addressing the Pride flag controversy, Danzinger told the Herald that “displaying any non-governmental flag only serves to alienate and divide our diverse communities.” Still, he said, “I believe in celebrating our diversity, and that includes the many cultures that call our county home.”

As a Republican seeking a nonpartisan seat, Danzinger will need to distinguish himself in a Republican-heavy field of seven candidates that includes Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid and Alexander Otaola, the conservative host of a Spanish-language YouTube show.

He faces an uphill battle. According to campaign finance reports, Danzinger had raised less than $12,000 and spent less than $3,000 as of last week. Levine Cava’s reelection campaign, meanwhile, has raised over $1.3 million. Otaola has reported more than $268,000 in contributions, and Cid has brought in more than $177,000.

Still, Danzinger told the Miami Herald that, as the eldest of 12 siblings, he is a “natural-born leader” who is ready for the job.

Before entering politics, Danzinger worked in tech and design as the director of user experience for JPay, an IT and financial services company that works in the American prison system.

More recently, Danzinger has been an entrepreneur, running a company with his brother that sells electric standing desks and has sought to develop products including a non-lethal police weapon and a weighted beach blanket.

Danzinger told the Herald that he is “confident that my skills and experience are a great fit for this administrative role.”

“My background in technology and government, combined with my management and entrepreneurial experience, translates directly to the needs of this position,” Danzinger said. “Additionally, I believe my calm and thoughtful approach to problem-solving will be an asset in addressing the challenges we face in Miami-Dade and help us build a stronger future.”

While touting his record on local issues, including the lowering of Surfside’s millage rate and his partnerships with state leaders to secure funding for infrastructure projects, Danzinger has also positioned himself as a supporter of former President Donald Trump. He told the Herald he voted for Trump in each of the past two presidential elections and planned to do so again in November and said he would be “greatly honored” to earn Trump’s endorsement.

Earlier this week, Danzinger addressed the attempted assassination of Trump in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, writing: “Are the people trying to hold President Trump responsible for ‘#January6Insurrection’ also going to hold @CNN & the #LeftWingMedia accountable for the assassination attempt on @realDonaldTrump? Praying for the safety & health of @realDonaldTrump, his family, and our nation.”

In September, Danzinger was one of 25 sitting mayors to endorse Levine Cava for reelection. But he rescinded that endorsement after filing to run against her, telling Levine Cava in a letter that “recent events and actions have left me profoundly disappointed in your leadership.” He criticized Levine Cava’s handling of the Champlain Towers collapse aftermath, a period that brought tensions between the county and the town.

Danzinger told the Herald that, as the mayor of a town of about 5,500 residents, he and other municipal leaders encountered a county mayor in Levine Cava “who was unresponsive to the needs of her municipalities.” He says that frustration led to his decision to run against her.

“My goal is to open a line of communication and foster cooperation, ensuring that the county provides the necessary resources to address the unique needs of our diverse communities,” Danzinger said.

Danzinger has vowed to reduce spending in the county’s $12 billion budget while seeking to lower taxes and address soaring insurance rates.

He has criticized Levine Cava, who is Jewish, for not taking “a resolute and unequivocal stance against antisemitism” following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, despite Levine Cava making various statements after the attacks condemning antisemitism and expressing her support for Israel.

Danzinger’s campaign website also takes aim at Levine Cava for participating in a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in June 2020 after the killing of George Floyd.

“In spite of the State of Florida standing as a beacon for law and order, Miami-Dade County’s mayor Daniella Levine Cava bends the knee in a gesture of protest against Law Enforcement and the justice system, a symbol that invites anarchy and disorder to our community,” the campaign website says.

As the mayor of Surfside, Danzinger frequently clashed with residents who saw him as too development-friendly and unwilling to protect the town’s charm.

But Danzinger held a different view, saying he embraced growth that was necessary to move the town forward. That put him at odds with some of Surfside’s most vocal activists — a battle that Danzinger seemed to embrace during his two years in office.

“Ultimately, my city is very divided in the sense that we’ve grown so much in the last couple of years,” Danzinger said Wednesday during an interview with the Herald Editorial Board. “The same people that bought their house for $40,000 that’s now worth $2 million still want to maintain what it was. But that’s an impossibility, and that’s really what it comes down to.”

Miami-Dade voters have until Aug. 8 to request a vote-by-mail ballot for the Aug. 20 primary election. Early voting begins Aug. 5.