Coral Gables Mayor Jim Cason seeks second, and final, term
Coral Gables’ election cycle is solidifying, with two candidates running for the mayor’s seat and six vying for two open commission seats.
Hopefuls have until Feb. 22 to qualify for the April 9 election.
But the mayor’s race between Jim Cason, 68, the incumbent mayor and a retired U.S. Foreign Services Officer, and Ralph Cabrera, 54, a term-limited commissioner and president of Cabrera Benefits Group, a commercial insurance brokerage and benefits firm, gained traction in September when Cabrera held his campaign kick-off before 350 supporters at the Hyatt Regency.
Cason, who defeated four-term mayor Don Slesnick in the 2011 race, intended from the start to begin his campaign in January.
On Wednesday night, more than 100 supporters gathered at the Gables home of Tom and Debbie Korge for a cocktail fundraising reception for Cason, who repeated a vow he had made in his first race.
“I first ran and said I want to be mayor for four years. Two years is too short and more than four years and you’re a professional politician,” he said as supporters mingled and munched hors d’ouevres. “That’s it. I will have had 44 years of public service and then I’d like to go in some other direction.”
