Tag Archives: plantation

FL HOUSE 102: Cooper City Commissioner Jason Smith Solid Front Runner For Republican Nod, Gen Z Candidate Jayden D’Onofrio Surges To Lead In Dem Race

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Cooper City Commissioner Jason Smith solidified his status as front runner for the Florida House District 102 Republican nomination while Gen Z newcomer Jayden D’Onofrio surged to a big lead for the Democrat nomination according to recent campaign reports. Four candidates are currently vying to replace the term-limited Michael Gottlieb. Republicans hope to pick off the central Broward District which parts of Plantation, Sunrise and all of Cooper City.

Republican candidates for Florida House District 102

Since joining the race in April, many view Cooper City Commissioner Jason Smith as the front runner for the Republican nomination. Smith has the built advantage with all of Cooper City located

District 102. Smith hit the ground running in the money race as well. According to official campaign reports, Smith raised more than $35,000 dollars from nearly 170 contributors since April.

Between April and June 2025, the Smith campaign reported 93 contributions. In the period covering July, August and September, the Smith campaign reported 74 contributions. Smith did not report any loans to his campaign, just in-kind contributions.

That is a stark contrast with his opponent, Mery Lopez Palma, a Southwest Ranches attorney, who ran unsuccessfully for House 102 in November 2024.

Mery Lopez Palma opened her 2026 campaign in December 2024.

Mery Lopez Palma reported no contributions in her December 2024 campaign report.

For the January through March 31, 2025 campaign report, Mery Lopez Palma recorded a single contribution—a $1,000 loan from Mery Lopez Palma.

In the April to June report, the Mery Lopez Palma campaign reported raising $15, 578. 85 from just twenty-five contributions. More than $13,000 of that total amount came from additional loans by Mery Lopez Palma.

In the latest report, Mery Lopez Palma raised just $8,503.98 from eighteen contributions. Mery Lopez Palma made another $5,000 loan to her own campaign.

Broward Republican insiders are shocked by the anemic numbers from the Mery Lopez Palma campaign.

These insiders were stunned to learn that, despite being in the race since last year, she is holding her “campaign kickoff” in a Sunrise bakery tonight.

Democrat candidates for Florida House District 102 race.

On the Democrat side, dentist Michael Friend has enjoyed the backing of the seasoned establishment wing of the party. He picked up an early endorsement by the current seatholder Michael Gottlieb.

Friend’s campaign guru, the controversial Barbara Miller, helped line up endorsements from other Democrat office holders and insiders.

Since entering the race in late December, Friend raised $65,527 dollars for his campaign from 245 contributors. Another $50,000 contribution came from a loan by Friend to his own campaign.

With these numbers, Friend should be the clear favorite, right?

Well Democratic insiders tell REDBROWARD the race was reset when Gen Z candidate Jayden D’Onofrio threw his hat into the ring in July.

According to the July-September campaign report, D’Onofrio raised $22,576 from 169 contributors. There was a $25,000 loan to the campaign.

Contributions to the D’Onofrio campaign came from Florida and seventeen other states. These states include Texas, New York, North Carolina, Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio and even Hawaii.

A political committee associated with D’Onofrio reported $80,000 in contributions. With these totals, D’Onforio, a Tallahassee college student, already surpassed Friend.

These amounts do not include other political committees associated with D’Onofrio.

These Democrat insiders believe D’Onofrio will continue to out raise Friend.

Erratic Mayor Nick Sortal Screams Bloody Murder During Plantation City Council Meeting

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A screaming Mayor Nick Sortal interrupted a Plantation City Council meeting Wednesday night. The shocking moment came towards the end of an innocuous discussion about a Plantation Acres committee. Immediately after a resident finished speaking, Mayor Sortal bolted for the exit door behind his seat.

With the door still ajar, Sortal let out three blood-curdling screams that were clearly heard within the council meeting room. While Councilman Louis Reinstein tried to make light of the screaming, the Plantation Police Chief raced to the secured backroom to investigate.

Police Chief races to check on screaming Mayor Nick Sortal

Sortal returned to his seat and the meeting continued. Sortal would later joke that City Hall needed thicker walls.

Nobody laughed.

Sortal offered no further explanation.

This is just the latest episode of erratic behavior by Mayor Nick Sortal

As REDBROWARD previously reported, Sortal made inappropriate sexual remarks to a city employee. Sortal made inappropriate remarks when a pornography was shown during a teleconference. Sortal made inappropriate remarks during a mayoral debate.

Even more concerning was last year’s revelation that Sortal was being treated for an addiction.

“Opioid Problem”

Mayor Nick Sortal made a pre-dawn call to 911 in April 2024 from a drug recovery center where he was being treated for an “opioid problem,” public records show. The first-term Mayor made the 911 call from the Recovery First Treatment Center near Davie. REDBROWARD obtained a copy of Sortal’s telephone call.

Sortal said he “broke like ten rules” to make the phone call. When asked for his telephone number, Sortal said he did not know because he “shanghaied” a facility telephone. Shanghaied is defined a using trickery, fraud or deception to obtain something.

When asked to verify the address he was calling from, Sortal said the Recovery First Treatment Center. Then, Sortal casually made an unprecedented admission by an elected official—“It’s a recovery center. I had an opioid problem.”