T
omas Regalado, a Republican and former Miami mayor, rode the red wave to win the property appraiser's seat in Miami-Dade County. He defeated Democrat Marisol Zenteno by 15 percentage points on Tuesday, securing 57% of the vote compared to her 42%. This victory mirrored the performance of other Republican candidates who won countywide offices.

    Regalado's win was part of a broader trend in Miami-Dade, where former President Donald Trump carried the county for the first time since 1988. Trump's success in the county helped propel him to a presidential win with 277 electoral college votes.

    Regalado's campaign received significant funding from local developers and commercial real estate investors, with nearly three-quarters of his $485,650 total coming from these sources. The Melo Group, led by Carlos and Martin Melo, and Julio del Rey, owner of a motel chain, each contributed $20,000 to Regalado's Proven Leadership PAC.

    In contrast, Zenteno raised $109,974 primarily from small donors. Her campaign was less well-funded than Regalado's, which may have contributed to her loss.