Manuel Alberto Diaz (born November 5, 1954) is a Cuban-American politician who served as the chair of the Florida Democratic Party from 2021 to 2023. From 2001 to 2009, he served as the mayor of Miami, Florida.
Manny Diaz | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chair of the Florida Democratic Party | |
| In office January 9, 2021 – January 19, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Terrie Rizzo |
| Succeeded by | Nikki Fried |
| 41st Mayor of Miami | |
| In office November 17, 2001 – November 11, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Joe Carollo |
| Succeeded by | Tomás Regalado |
| 66th President of the United States Conference of Mayors | |
| In office 2008–2009 | |
| Preceded by | Douglas Palmer |
| Succeeded by | Greg Nickels |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 5, 1954 Havana, Cuba |
| Political party | Democratic (before 2000, 2008–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent (2000–2008) |
| Children | 4, including Manny |
| Education | Florida International University (BA) University of Miami (JD) |
Early life and career
editDiaz and his mother, Elisa, left Cuba in 1961.[1] He graduated from Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in 1973. He scored the first touchdown in his high school's football history, and was named "Mr. Belén" in his graduating class.[2] In 1977, Díaz received his bachelor's degree in political science from Florida International University. In 1980, he earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami School of Law.
Diaz's law firm was hired to represent Lázaro Gonzalez in the custody case over his grand-nephew Elián González. Diaz's participation in the trial and presence at the González household during the April 22, 2000, raid propelled him to national prominence.[3][4]
Mayorship
editDiaz ran in the 2001 Miami mayoral election as an Independent. He and Maurice Ferré were the top candidates in the first round, locking out incumbent mayor Joe Carollo.[5] Diaz won the runoff election,[6] and was re-elected in 2005. As mayor, Díaz remained a partner in the law firm, but stated he would not be able to take new cases.[7]
When he first took office, Miami city government was bankrupt, held junk bond status, and was under a state financial oversight board. Mayor Diaz pursued a vast administrative overhaul that brought with it financial stability, healthy level of financial reserves, continued tax cuts, lowered millage rates, and an A bond rating on Wall Street.
Diaz was awarded the "Urban Innovator of the Year" award by the Manhattan Institute in 2004. In 2007, Diaz served on the selection committee for the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence.[8]
In 2008, Díaz became president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. As an Independent, and a former registered Democrat, Diaz spoke at the 2008 Democratic National Convention and endorsed Obama's presidential bid.[9] Following Obama's election, Diaz was considered for HHS Secretary; the position would ultimately go to Kathleen Sebelius.[10]
Later career
editDíaz left office in 2009 because of term limits. In the spring of 2010, Díaz was an IOP Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. Today Díaz is a partner at Lydecker Díaz, LLP in Miami.
On January 22, 2014, Diaz and four other attorneys from his law firm, Lydecker Diaz, filed papers to represent Walmart in its battle to build in Midtown Miami.[11]
On November 23, 2020, Diaz declared his campaign for chair of the Florida Democratic party. He has been endorsed by Mike Bloomberg, whom he supported when Bloomberg ran for president.[12] He was elected as Chair of the Florida Democratic Party; he resigned within two years in a letter "replete with excuses" after the "Florida Democrats suffer[ed] some of their worst losses ever" in the 2022 midterm elections.[13]
Personal life
editDiaz is married to Robin Smith and has four children and three grandchildren. His son, Manny, is the head coach of the football team at Duke University, the former defensive coordinator for the Penn State Nittany Lions football team and is the former head coach for the Miami Hurricanes football team. His daughter, Natalie, recently received her master's degree in public health with honors from Florida International University. His son, Robert, is pursuing a political science degree. His daughter, Elisa, recently[when?] received her Juris Doctor from the Florida International University College of Law. His grandchildren are Colin, Gavin, and Manny Jr.
References
edit- ^ U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
- ^ The International Jesuit Alumni Directory Belen (Forum Press Inc., 1994)
- ^ "Lawyer for Cuban Boy's Relatives Is Elected Miami Mayor". The New York Times. November 14, 2001.
- ^ Pressley, Sue Anne (November 15, 2001). "From Elian's House to City Hall". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ Canedy, Dana (November 7, 2001). "Colorful Miami Mayor Ousted; Race to Be Decided in Runoff". The New York Times. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ Canedy, Dana (November 14, 2001). "Lawyer for Cuban Boy's Relatives Is Elected Miami Mayor". The New York Times. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ Corral, Oscar (November 25, 2001). "Mayor Diaz up and running slowly". The Miami Herald. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ "Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence". Selection Committees. Bruner Foundation. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
- ^ Miami Herald article, July 11, 2009 [dead link]
- ^ Hicks, Jonathan P. (November 22, 2008). "President of Bronx Could Get Cabinet Post". The New York Times. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ "Manny Diaz, Miami's Former "Green Mayor," Is Now Representing Walmart Midtown". Miami New Times. February 11, 2014.
- ^ David Smiley (November 24, 2020). "Florida Democratic Party's top post sought by former Miami mayor". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on January 17, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
- ^ "Head of Florida Democrats resigns after disastrous midterms". AP News. January 10, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
External links
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