Every elected leader in Golden Beach endorses Fabián Basabe for re-election in HD 106

Those challenging Rep. Fabián Basabe in House District 106 shouldn’t look to the elected officials in Golden Beach for support.

They’re all in — all of them — for the Republican incumbent.

Every one of town’s five City Council members is backing Basabe for re-election in HD 106, which covers a coastal strip of Miami-Dade between Miami Beach and Aventura.

Each wrote a letter of endorsement explaining why they want to see him win a third term. And they all essentially said the same thing: Basabe consistently listens, shows up and delivers for Golden Beach and its residents.

“It is rare to find a representative who is genuinely accessible — one who not only returns calls, but who answers them. One who shows up toe events not for photos — but to listen. One who asks what we need — and then actually follows up. You have done that for Golden Beach, consistently,” Mayor Glenn Singer, a Republican, wrote.

“Our Town is small in population — but we are large in expectations, responsibilities, and public safety complexities. You have always treated our community with importance and priority, and I have personally witnessed your involvement firsthand — from attending our civic events, to speaking directly with our residents, to spending time here understanding what matters to us.”

Vice Mayor Judy Lusskin, a Republican, said Basabe’s accessibility “is not political — it is genuine.”

“I have come to know you not as a distant elected official in Tallahassee — but as someone who knows our Town personally, who walks our streets, and who sits at our community dinners and events,” she wrote. “You have shown up — repeatedly — and that matters. When we reach out, you respond. When we need information, you make yourself available. Your accessibility is not political — it is genuine.”

Council member Bernard Einstein, who switched from Democrat to Republican in 2023, said very few elected leaders have been as “visibly engaged” in Golden Beach as Basabe.

“You answer when we call — and we do not take that for granted,” he wrote. “You attend our functions, you meet with our residents, and you take the time to truly listen. Those qualities differentiate you.”

Council member Kenneth Bernstein, a Democrat, described Basabe similarly.

“You show up, you attend our programs and events, and you make it clear that Golden Beach matters to you,” he wrote, adding that he’s personally witnessed Basabe’s respect for the Golden Beach Police department and appreciation for public safety. “When we have reached out on matters affecting our town — whether involving infrastructure, legislation, or state agency coordination — you have taken our calls, and you have always been willing to assist.”

Council member Jessie Mendal, who has no party affiliation, called Basabe’s accessibility “outstanding.”

“Our Town values consistency, accountability, and follow-through — you have demonstrated each of these,” she wrote.

Basabe said it is “truly an honor” to win the sweeping support of Golden Beach’s elected leaders, who serve an affluent, coastal municipality of fewer than 1,000 residents.

“Golden Beach is small in size, but it has enormous expectations, high standards, and one of the most respected municipal operations anywhere in the state. Your professionalism, your commitment to public safety, and your clear vision for your community make Golden Beach a model of disciplined, effective local government,” he said in a statement.

“Working with you has been a privilege and a pleasure. You run a tight ship, you lead with purpose, and you hold yourselves to the same level of accountability you expect from others, which is a rarity. I value the trust you have placed in me, and I will continue to show up, follow through, and fight for this community every step of the way.”

The Golden Beach endorsements join others from Kissimmee Democratic Rep. Jose Alvarez, Hialeah Republican Rep. Alex Rizo, Miami-Dade Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez, Aventura City Commissioner Gustavo Blachman, Bal Harbour Council member Buzzy Sklar, Republican Vice Mayor Tina Paul and Commissioner Ruben Coto of Surfside, North Bay Village Commissioner Richard Chervony and Miami Beach running legend Robert “Raven” Kraft, who said Basabe’s actions last year helped save him from homelessness.

Rizo, Fernandez, Blachman, Paul, Chervony, Sklar and Kraft are Republicans. Alvarez and Coto are Democrats.

Two Democrats have filed to run against Basabe: former Miami-Dade School Board member Lucia Báez-Geller, whom he’s accused of lodging “false, malicious” accusations against him, and lawyer Ashley Litwin Diego, who has enlisted the services of influential consultant Christian Ulvert.