Alex Diaz de la Portilla's hopes for a comeback to the world of Florida politics were extinguished Tuesday, ending his dream of a return to Tallahassee and concluding the chapter of one of the most deeply-rooted political dynasties in Florida history.
Diaz de la Portilla lost the Senate District 40 Republican primary to Jose Felix Diaz by a landslide 32 points, even after polls showed him ahead by nearly the same percentage just two short months ago. It symbolizes more than just missing out on a term in the Florida Senate. It brings the end to an era of one of the state's most famous political families.
Diaz de la Portilla's loss is his second -- and the family's fourth -- since 2012.
For years, the name "Diaz de la Portilla" has been a staple of Florida politics, akin to other prominent families like the Diaz-Balarts, who have climbed from the bottom to the top of the political chain through true grit and political prowess.
A close-knit trio of Cubans, brothers Alex, Miguel and Renier, cemented themselves as political forces in the 1990s, making their marks in the Miami-Dade and Tallahassee political scenes.
The Diaz de la Portillas became well-known figures in Miami politics for their dedication to public service and commitment to conservative values.
That message initially resonated well with voters, who sent them back to Tallahassee election after election in the 1990s and first decade of the 2000s.
In 1994, Alex made his first successful bid for the Florida House of Representatives, stepping onto the scene as a power-wielding, no-holds-barred politician.
He was known by many in Tallahassee circles to be somewhat of a modern playboy with a swashbuckling style, who smoked cigars and huddled close in corners with his confidants, planning his next political move.
Before he even took the oath of office, though, DLP was haunted by a lengthy history of personal faux pas -- traffic incidences and having his license suspended.
Diaz de la Portilla failed to show up at court hearings, but even his poor driving record didn't keep voters away from him -- Diaz de la Portilla won reelection each time he ran, eventually working his way to the Florida Senate.
He has always been at the center of controversy, but every time has seemed to slide past prosecution and consequences, rising above negative headlines and landing straight into voters' hearts.
In 2001, the Florida Elections Commission slapped DLP with a $311,000 fine after he failed to report campaign contributions. He was later charged with several misdemeanors for filing false campaign reports, but voters forgave him and returned him to office.
Diaz de la Portilla began his Senate run in 2000, moving up quickly in the ranks. He was elected president pro tempore in 2002 and eventually majority leader, one of the most powerful positions in the state legislature.
Now it appears the tide has turned. Voters have soured on the Diaz de la Portillas.
Alex isn't the only one who has suffered deep losses in the Miami ground where once the Diaz de la Portilla name was legend. Just last year, brother Miguel Diaz de la Portilla lost his reelection bid to Jose Javier Rodriguez.
Miguel Diaz de la Portilla's loss was a considerable upset because he was far better astute in the money game, raising nearly four times the war chest Rodriguez did for the Miami Senate seat.
Loads of cash and the Diaz de la Portilla name recognition couldn't push him over the top. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla lost the election by nearly 6,000 votes.
That result was tinged with irony: Rodriguez had already defeated Alex Diaz de la Portilla for the Florida House in 2012.
2012 wasn't kind to brother Renier, either. He, too, couldn't pry himself from the jaws of defeat, losing his bid for the Florida House to Manny Diaz, Jr.
The result was part of a double-whammy delivered straight to the gut of the once political-powerhouse of a family, left down and out with no office to hold.
Still, Alex Diaz de la Portilla wasn't going to give up on the idea of coming back to Tallahassee that easily.
Five years later he saw the opportunity for a comeback -- and seized it. In May 2017, he announced he would run for Florida's 40th Senate District, which became vacant in April after former Sen. Frank Artiles resigned from office.
Early on in the summerlong campaign, it appeared Diaz de la Portilla was the man to beat. But the momentum quickly shifted toward
Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, as he steadily outpaced Diaz de la Portilla in the money chase.
With more than $2 million in resources, Diaz pounded away at Diaz de la Portilla and what was left of his political legacy, through blistering mailers and TV ads. It all told voters DLP's time was up.
Diaz de la Portilla relied heavily on his name recognition throughout the campaign, hoping he could muster that old mystique among the Cuban-American community, hoping voters would recollect his time in the state Legislature and check off the box next to his name to make him their state senator one more time.
On Tuesday, he posted a snapshot from his 1999 political campaign. In the photo he holds his cousin, Nicolas. A sly grin lines his face. The "Diaz de la Portilla" name stands out in the background in neon green letters, sharply contrasted on a black background.
The photo is a time warp, a harking back to another era -- one where the DLPs were kings. Like the photo, the colors have faded and the DLP star has fallen.
Another photo posted of Diaz de la Portilla this week featured a small scrap of paper from a Chinese fortune cookie.
A smiley face sets off the quote.
"The will of the people is the best law," the fortune reads.
The will of the people, it appears, has moved on from the Diaz de la Portillas.
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