Examine individual changes

'{{Verifiability|date=July 2019}}{{Infobox officeholder |name=Alex Penelas |image= |order= 5th |office= Mayor of Miami-Dade County |predecessor=[[Stephen P. Clark]] |successor=[[Carlos Alvarez (mayor)|Carlos Alvarez]] |term_start=October 1, 1996 |term_end=November 6, 2004 |birth_date={{birth date and age|1961|12|18}} |birth_place=[[Miami]], [[Florida]] |death_date= |death_place= |spouse=Lilliam |children=William<br>Christopher |residence= |party=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] |relations= |alma_mater=[[St. Thomas University (Florida)|St. Thomas University]] <small>([[Bachelor of Arts|A.B.]])</small><br>[[University of Miami]] <small>([[Juris Doctor|J.D.]])</small> |occupation= |profession=Lawyer<br>Politician |religion= |signature= |website= |footnotes= }} '''Alexander Penelas''' (born December 18, 1961) is a former [[mayor]] of [[Miami-Dade County, Florida|Miami-Dade County]], [[Florida]]. ==Schooling and personal life== Penelas, an [[United States|American]] of [[Cuban American|Cuban descent]], attended college at [[St. Thomas University (Florida)|St. Thomas University]]. In 1985, he received his law degree from the [[University of Miami School of Law]], where he graduated [[cum laude]] and was inducted into the university's [[Iron Arrow Honor Society]].<ref> [http://www.nndb.com/org/483/000056315/ Iron Arrow Honor Society at Notable Names Database.]</ref> Penelas and his wife, Lilliam, have two sons, William and Christopher, and a daughter, Alexandra.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} ==Political life== ===Offices held=== Alex Penelas served on the city council of [[Hialeah, Florida]], from 1987 to 1990. In 1990, he was elected to serve as the youngest county commissioner in Dade County history. During his service on the County commission, Penelas created the seat of Executive Mayor.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} On October 1, 1996, Penelas became the first Executive Mayor of Dade County (renamed Miami-Dade County in 1997). At the time, Penelas was a member of the [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic Party]]. ==="America's Sexiest Politician"=== In 1999, ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' Magazine named Penelas as "America's sexiest politician."{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} ===Elian Gonzalez controversy=== During the [[Elián González]] controversy in 2000, Penelas, stated that he would do nothing to assist the [[Clinton administration]] and federal authorities in their bid to return the six-year-old boy to [[Cuba]].{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} Noting that immigration was a matter for the federal government. Penelas decision not to campaign alongside [[Al Gore]] during Gore's 2000 presidential bid, and his decision not to interfere during the controversy over Miami-Dade County's ballots in the aftermath of the election was called into question. Critics allege that Penelas' failure to intervene in the Dade County ballot controversy, including failing to provide adequate security at the Dade County Building during the [[Brooks Brothers riot]], was a contributing factor to [[George W. Bush]]'s ultimate victory in the controversial election. ===U.S. Senate candidacy=== As a candidate in the [[United States Senate election in Florida, 2004]], Penelas was unable to match the popularity or fundraising levels of rivals [[Betty Castor]] and [[Peter Deutsch]] in the August 2004 primary. His campaign was made more difficult when Al Gore called him "the single most treacherous and dishonest person I dealt with during the [2000 presidential election] campaign anywhere in America."<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Sokol|first1=Brett|title=The D Word|journal=Miami New Times|date=May 26, 2005|url=http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/the-d-word-6340382}}</ref> Gore's remarks hurt Penelas with Democratic voters. He lost the primary, winning ten percent of the vote. ===Univision=== Penelas has served as a political analyst for [[Spanish-language]] [[Univision]] television. == Running for Mayor == In July 2019, Penelas announced he was running for re-election to the office of Miami-Dade County Mayor.<ref>{{Citation | last = Hanks | first = Douglas | author-link = | last2 = | first2 = | author2-link = | title = Running for county mayor again, Alex Penelas snags Miami-Dade’s top donor (so far) | newspaper = Miami Herald | pages = | year = 2019 | date = 14 May 2019 | url = https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article230383894.html | archive-url = | archive-date = | access-date = 15 May 2019}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.sptimes.com/2003/08/31/Perspective/Alex_Penelas_confront.shtml "Alex Penelas Contronts a Tough Critic: His Own Party"], ''[[St. Petersburg Times]]'', August 31, 2003. *[http://www.univision.net/corp/en/pr/Miami_17122004-1.html "Alex Penelas, former Miami-Dade Mayor, to Provide Political Commentary and Analysis for Univision"], [[Univision]] statement, December 17, 2004. *[http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/alex_penelas/ Alex Penelas quotes at Thinkexist.com]. *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060913210957/http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=6666 "Al Politics Is Loco"], ''[[The American Spectator]]'', June 8, 2004. *[https://web.archive.org/web/20061209124650/http://www.ncaaticketsnow.com/miami-tickets.asp Alex Penelas at University of Miami Famous Alumni]. {{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{succession box | before=Position abolished 1993-1996 | title=[[List of Mayors of Miami-Dade County, Florida|Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Florida]] | years=1996-2004 | after=[[Carlos Alvarez (mayor)|Carlos Alvarez]]}} {{s-end}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Penelas, Alex}} [[Category:1961 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American television personalities]] [[Category:American politicians of Cuban descent]] [[Category:Florida Democrats]] [[Category:Mayors of Miami-Dade County, Florida]] [[Category:Politicians from Miami]] [[Category:St. Thomas University (Florida) alumni]] [[Category:University of Miami School of Law alumni]] [[Category:Florida city council members]]'