South Florida’s Winner and Loser of the Week

Winner: Ariel Fernandez

Fernandez won the Group 5 seat on the Coral Gables Commission last week, topping lawyer and former congressional staffer Alex Bucelo 58%-42%. “I am humbled by the responsibility placed upon me by our residents,” Fernandez said in a statement after the win. He’ll succeed outgoing Vice Mayor Mike Mena.

Loser: Fabián Basabe

An aide, Nicolas Frevola, is accusing Basabe of slapping him at a January event. This comes as Basabe is also getting heat for voting for several high-profile culture war bills despite running as a socially liberal conservative in securing a narrow upset win last November.

– Ryan Nicol, Florida Politics