The already-crowded Florida gubernatorial field could become a little bit fuller next week as Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine ponders a bid to run for the state’s highest office.
Levine, a Democrat who has been rumored to be contemplating a run for governor for months, plans to announce his intentions next Wednesday.
The announcement is set for 10:30 a.m. in the Miami neighborhood of Wynwood, a popular destination among tourists for its vibrant art scene.
Earlier this year, Levine said he would make a decision on whether to run for governor before the start of the summer after touring the state for several months.
Levine, a businessman who had no political experience before becoming mayor of Miami Beach, told CBS’ Jim DeFede earlier this year that he was trying to reach out to Florida voters to see what they wanted in a leader.
“I’m going to do what I did when I ran for mayor — I ‘m going to talk to the people,” he said. “I wanna hear what they have to say. I want to understand better what’s going on and what we need to do to make Florida a better place for everybody.”
If he enters the race, Levine will be the fourth Democratic candidate running for governor. Former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and Orlando businessman Chris King all declared their candidacies earlier this year.
Levine has outraised his fellow Democrats in spite of potentially jumping into the race later than his opponents.
He’s pumped more than $2.5 million of his own money into a $4.7 million pot for his political committee, All About Florida.
Levine hasn’t been quick to spend any of the money he’s raised either, only spending about $162,000, leaving him with $4.6 million cash on hand.
Last month, Levine didn’t raise any money through the committee but spent about $46,000 in campaign expenditures.
Levine will need all the money he can get -- he’s already estimated running could cost up to $100 million and if previous gubernatorial races are any indicator, that number isn’t too far off.
Gov. Rick Scott spent an estimated $83 million before the end of the 2014 gubernatorial race, with over $50 million of that money spent on TV ads alone.
Despite being in a strong place financially, Levine has come under fire as mayor of Miami Beach in recent months.
Levine has been routinely accused of censoring potential critics on social media en masse and is facing a lawsuit for allegedly violating Florida's Sunshine Law since he conducts official business on his social media accounts.
Earlier this year, Levine and Miami Beach were criticized for unfriendly policies towards homesharing companies like Airbnb, which allow residents to rent out their homes to tourists for a fraction of the price of a hotel.
Miami Beach’s short-term rental fees are the highest in the nation. The city charges up to $20,000 in fines for violators of the short-term rental ban, which means any stay less than six months and one day are strictly forbidden.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
