Miami– With a host of local seats up for grabs during the Aug. 20 Primary election, a Democratic political novice is challenging a Republican for state House of Representatives.

In House District 110, Stanley Yves Jean Poix, a retired police lieutenant with the City of Miami, is facing state Rep. Tom Fabricio, an attorney from Miramar.

Poix, a Haitian American who lives in Ives Estates, originally filed paperwork to run in House District 107 but the Democratic Party convinced him to switch to HD 110 to give them a shot at winning the seat.

HD 107 is a crowded field with all Democratic candidates and Fabricio would have won by default had Poix not challenged him.

"Every year, the Democrats want to contest every seat," Poix said. "Tom Fabricio’s district is a strong Republican area and I looked at it as a smart move, as I don’t want to fight my own party and rather face a Republican. I’m starting to get positive feedback from Democrats in the area who are glad I’m running. It gives us an option and I think I can pull it off."

HD 110 covers areas including Miramar, Miami Lakes, a portion of Hialeah, an enclave in northwest Miami-Dade and an unincorporated vicinity in northeast Miami-Dade.

Poix, who was a police officer for 25 years, said his political platform focuses on blasting relief for homeowners, affordable housing and homeowners insurance, enhanced public safety and women’s reproductive freedom.

Poix said blasting by rock miners is destroying people’s properties in Miramar, Miami Lakes and other northwest Miami-Dade vicinities.

"People need relief," he said. "Those are the issues I will focus on."

Poix, 54, was a teacher when he decided to trade in his bookbag for the badge.

After he retired from the police force, politics piqued his interest especially after the Florida Legislature adopted a course altering African American history, as well as the affordable housing and property insurance crisis.

He said the suspension of Central Florida State Attorney Monique Worrell by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis was also intriguing.

Poix said instead of sitting back being a critic, he decided to run for political office to make some changes.

"I was always intrigued by politics but when I retired and kicked back to relax, I’m watching what the governor and the Legislature are doing," Poix said. "It was like we are regressing and not progressing."

Poix said a career in law enforcement helps prepare him for public service to represent his constituents in Tallahassee.

He said he worked in community relations for the police department and was part of Miami’s Police Athletic League and other youth programs to keep at-risk kids out of trouble.

Poix also said he was a representative for police officers in the department to make sure their rights were not being violated, and was previously a program specialist for the Urban League of Greater Miami.

"My slogan is ‘A strong voice for a new direction,’" he said. "That invokes changes for better results for the future."

Fabricio couldn’t be reached for comment.

He first won his seat in 2020 and was reelected in 2022.

According to his campaign website, Fabricio’s political platform includes creating economic opportunities, support programs for senior citizens and affordable healthcare.

“I’m seeking re-election because I believe in our district and know we can grow stronger without sacrificing our principles," he said on the website.

Also in the Aug. 20 Primary, Miami-Dade County residents will vote in the mayor’s race, and for the first time since 1966, elect a Miami-Dade County Sheriff.

Incumbent Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava faces six challengers including chief rivals Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid and political activist and comedian Alex Otaola.

Though the race is non-partisan, Cava is a Democrat and Cid and Otaola are both Republicans.

Cava’s political platform includes continuing to tackle the affordable housing shortage, improve economic development in the Black community and to make Miami International Airport the travel hub of the country.

Cid, who was first elected Miami Lakes mayor in 2016 and ran unopposed in 2020, said he wants to lower taxes and work for the working class.

Cid was previously a legislative aide before he ran for political office.

Otaola, a firebrand Cuban American, anti-communist, social media influencer, said he wants to eliminate the county of communists.

On his social media post, which is in Spanish, he sees a county infiltrated by communist agents who run businesses connected to the authoritarian governments in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, specifically with companies that offer travel and package deliveries to those nations.

Other mayoral candidates are media personality Carlos Garin, ex-Surfside mayor Shlomo Danziner, Miami-Dade Libertarian Party Vice Chair Miguel Quintero and non-party candidate Eddy Rojas.

If neither candidate collects at least 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a runoff on Nov. 5.

Levine Cava has a campaign war chest of over $5 million, Cid has about $265,000 and Otaola $120,065.

For Miami-Dade County sheriff, Miami-Dade Police Maj. John Barrow, whose career spans 18 years, and retired Miami-Dade Police Lt. Freddie Mitchell, who are Black Democrats, are among a crowded field seeking to become top cop.

Eleven candidates are Republicans including Ignacio "Iggy" Alvarez, who retired a major with the Miami-Dade Police Department after a 25-year career, Miami-Dade Police Maj. Jose Luis Aragu, Assistant Miami-Dade Police Director Rosanna "Rosie" CorderoStutz, and former longtime president of the Police Benevolent Association John Riveria.

Also running for the Republican nomination is Joe Sanchez, a former Miami Commissioner and current officer with the Florida Highway Patrol; suspended Miami-Dade County Commissioner and former police officer Joe Martinez; and Ernesto Rodriguez, a current lieutenant with the county’s Agricultural and Environmental Crimes Unit who has been with MDPD since 1987.

Running for the Democratic nomination besides Barrow and Mitchell are Miami-Dade Public Safety Director and former Broward Sheriff deputy James Reyes, and former federal law enforcement officer Susan Khoury.

The winners from each party will face off Nov. 5 to become the new sheriff.

For Miami-Dade county commissioner, incumbent Keon Hardemon faces his predecessor former Commissioner Audrey Edmonson and construction business owner Marion Brown for District 3, which covers Brownsville, Liberty City, El Portal and Overtown.

For state representative, incumbent Ashley Gantt faces former state Rep. James Bush III, who she defeated in 2022, and former state Rep. Roy Hardemon for District 109 which includes Brownsville, Liberty City, Overtown and Opa-locka.

For House District 107, which covers Miami Gardens and portions of North Miami and North Miami Beach, six candidates, mostly Haitian Americans, are seeking to replace outgoing state Rep. Christopher Benjamin who decided to forgo another term to run for County Court judge.

The candidates are Wallace Aristide, a former high school principal who unsuccessfully ran for a Miami-Dade County Commission seat in 2022; attorneys Loreal Arscott and Fadlin Pierre; Christine Sanon-Jules Olivo, a teacher and small business owner; Monique Mayo-Barley, a business consultant; and Wancito Francius, a former state representative and North Miami City Council candidate.

All candidates are Democrats.

For Broward County sheriff, incumbent Sheriff Gregory Toney faces three challengers in the Democratic Primary: Al Pollock, a nearly 40-year veteran of the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), who retired as a colonel in 2017; Steve Geller, a veteran of the Plantation Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; and David Howard, an Air Force veteran who spent 30 years with the West Palm Beach Police Department and built the new Pembroke Park Police Department.

The winner will face independent candidate Charles Edward Whatley, a former United States Marine Corps veteran and law enforcement professional, in the general election on Nov. 5.

According to the Broward County Elections Department, no Republican candidate is running for sheriff.

For Broward County School Board, incumbent Torey Alston, a Gov. Ron DeSantis appointee and the only Black on the board, is being challenged by Rebecca Thompson, who until recently was an assistant to School Board member Allen Zeman.

District 2 covers Pembroke Pines and Miramar.

According to the Sun Sentinel, Alston and his supporters accused Thompson of doing campaign work while a school district employee, which she denied.

Zeman subsequently filed a state ethics complaint against Alston for an alleged potential conflict of interest his wife has with charter schools.

Alston had also boasted large bipartisan support, but then several Democrats rescinded their endorsements after Alston was listed as a speaker at a candidate forum for Moms for Liberty, a conservative group despised by many Democrats. Alston backed out before the event was held.

For Palm Beach County State Attorney, State Attorney’s Deputy Chief Assistant Alexcia Cox is seeking to become the first woman and first Black state attorney in the county.

She faces fellow State Attorney Craig Williams, longtime criminal defense attorney Gregg Lerman and former sheriff’s Captain Rolando Silva for the Democratic nomination.

The winner will face Republican candidates former assistant state attorney Sam Stern, who has his own practice, and Boca Raton lawyer Forrest Freedman in November.

Defense lawyer Adam Farkas, a former prosecutor and government public defender, is also running but without a party affiliation.

Cox, who’s been a prosecutor for 16 years and oversees the State Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Unit, the county courts and the conviction review unit, said she’s not running to make history but to make a bigger impact on the community where she was born and raised.

The candidates are running to replace State Attorney Dave Aronberg who has decided not to run for another term to pursue other endeavors.

For Palm Beach County Commissioner, former state Sen. Bobby Powell Jr., and attorney Richard A. Ryles face off in the Democratic Primary for District 7.

The winner will face Republican Leonard L. Serratore in November along with Boaz Fleurena and Javonta Jerome Taylor, who both are write-in candidates.

They will replace Commissioner Mack Bernand, who decided to run for the state Senate seat.

District 7 includes cities such as Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lantana, Hypoluxo, Riviera Beach, Mangonia Park and Lake Park.