The Upcoming Elections: Candidates New & Old
With elections for the Coral Gables City Commission fast approaching on April 8, several new candidates have announced bids for the three open seats on the Commission. In our coming issues, we will give each candidate a full page to explain why they are running and what their positions are on various issues. For now, here’s who they are:
MAYOR
Mayor Vince Lago vs Commissioner Kirk Menendez vs Michael Anthony Abbott



In a surprise twist, current commissioner and retired attorney Kirk Menendez, who had previously announced his bid for reelection in Group 3, decided to pivot and run for mayor against longtime Commission member Mayor Vince Lago. Lago’s approval rating is impressively high, but he has lately faced opposition from Commissioners Menendez, Ariel Fernandez, and Melissa Castro, on items across the board.
With tensions high and unsubstantiated claims of corruption being bandied about, Menendez’s campaign seems very pointed. “I’ve decided to run for Mayor to ensure civility, stability, and selfless leadership guide our city’s future,” he said in an announcement, calling “the future of Coral Gables… as bright as it has ever been,” despite unfounded remarks he made earlier in the year calling the same city “a cesspool of corruption.” Lago’s platform emphasizes fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, environmental sustainability, additional city green spaces, lower taxes, and government transparency. He has been mayor since 2021.
A third candidate, businessman Michael Anthony Abbott, is also running. Vice president of M&A at logistics company SynXGlobal, he has far less name recognition than the two other candidates and no political background. But he is becoming more politically active as part of the group behind the nonprofit Coral Gables Action Committee, which has called for Lago to resign.
GROUP 3
Richard Lara vs Tom Wells


Earlier this year, attorney Richard Lara announced his candidacy for the Group 3 commissioner’s seat, running on a platform of “transparency, integrity, accountability, and professionalism.” He told Coral Gables Magazine back in May that he is committed to “reintroducing these vital qualities to the Commission” and “ensuring that decisions are made with proper regard for due process and public input.” Meanwhile, his new opponent Tom Wells, also an attorney, is a frequent attendee at Commission meetings who has been outspoken about his support for the firing of former City Manager Peter Iglesias and his opposition to changing the city’s elections to coincide with federal ones. Both are longtime Gables residents.
GROUP 2
Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson vs Laureano Cancio


Also up for re-election this year, Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson has now fielded an opponent in Laureano Cancio. No surprise – both are attorneys. Anderson has been on the Commission for four years, while Cancio is a newcomer to the Coral Gables political scene. The Cuban immigrant grew up in the Gables and is championing traffic safety, controlling overdevelopment, and education. He apparently wants the city to run its own school system and has been outspoken about his disdain for Mayor Lago.
Anderson, meanwhile, has spent her time as commissioner and now vice mayor supporting causes like ADA accessibility and organizations like the Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida and the Coral Gables Garden Club (of which she is an active member). She has also taken the lead on drafting legislative priorities for the state to oversee, including lowering home insurance rates and advocating for better traffic safety laws. Other Gables causes she has championed are new dog parks, additional bicycle lanes, and amending the Mediterranean bonus to prevent abuse by developers.