Philip Levine (politician)

Last updated
Carolina Murciano
​
(m. 2018)​
Philip Levine
Mayor-philip-levine portrait-767x1024.jpg
37th Mayor of Miami Beach
In office
November 25, 2013 –November 13, 2017
Education University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (BA)
Website Campaign website

Philip Louis Levine (born February 18, 1962) is an American businessman and politician who served as Mayor of Miami Beach from 2013 to 2017. [1] A member of the Democratic Party, he was a candidate in the 2018 Florida gubernatorial election.

Contents

Background

Philip Levine was born in 1962 to a Jewish family in Boston, Massachusetts. They moved to South Florida when he was 10. [2] He attended Attucks Middle School and Hollywood Hills High School in Hollywood, Florida. [3]

Levine headed north for college, graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in Political Science. After college, he settled in Miami Beach, Florida. In addition to building a business career, he has been involved in many philanthropic and community organizations.

In 2015, Levine completed an advanced leadership program at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. In 2018, he married Carolina Murciano. The marriage is his first and her second. Together, they have an infant son. [4]

Professional career

In 1990, with $500 in capital, Levine launched Onboard Media in a studio apartment above the News Café on Ocean Drive. Conceived as a port-marketing program for the cruise industry, the company expanded to publish eighty-five in-stateroom magazines and to produce TV programming.

After growing Onboard Media into a multi-million-dollar company, Levine partnered with Berkshire Partners to acquire Starboard Cruise Services. The merger resulted in the world's largest cruise industry concessionaire. It was sold to Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy in 2000. [5]

Levine maintains a diverse portfolio of investments in startups, businesses, and real estate. He is also the CEO of Royal Media Partners, an exclusive partner of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Levine also hosts The Mayor, a regular radio show on Sirius XM that features discussions with elected officials and other figures on a variety of relevant topics. [6]

Political involvement

In 2010, Levine was selected by President Obama's Secretary of Commerce to serve on a Task Force advising on U.S. tourism. The goals of the task force were to grow America's tourism industry. Levine is a self-described "radical centrist." [3] He criticized President Trump's delayed response for hurricane relief in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. [7]

Mayoral tenure

In November 2013, Levine was elected Mayor of Miami Beach, receiving 50.48% of the total vote in a four-person race. His campaign was endorsed by former President Bill Clinton and U.S. Senator Bill Nelson. Levine ran on a platform of "Just Get It Done," focusing on fixing street flooding and combating sea level rise, cleaning up government corruption, reforming the police department and city finances, and placing a priority on constituent service.

In June 2017, Levine hosted the annual U.S. Conference of Mayors in Miami Beach. The event brought together over 300 mayors from across the country and was the first Conference of Mayors held in the city since 1962.

Climate change

During his tenure as Miami Beach Mayor, Levine advocated publicly for action and attention to the issues of climate change. Levine worked to implement solutions to sea-level rise in Miami Beach, such as installing new drainage systems, investing in cutting-edge pumps, and physically raising roads. [8] In 2016, he appeared in Leonardo DiCaprio's documentary Before the Flood and in an episode of the National Geographic Channel series Years of Living Dangerously, hosted by Jack Black, to discuss the current effects of sea-level rise in Miami Beach and across Florida. [9] [10]

Before Levine took over as mayor, Miami Beach had a begun a 20-year, $200 million program to combat sea-level rise with new pumps, drain pipes and sea walls. According to the Miami Herald , When Levine took office, his first move to mitigate flooding was a $11 million contract for three storm pumps along Alton Road, around the area where Levine owns real estate. That area had one of the lowest sea-levels in the entire City and suffered from the most flooding. The Herald also reported that later, Levine fast-tracked a plan to raise roads in the Sunset Harbour neighborhood. He and partners owned real estate there worth about $20 million. In Levine's two terms as mayor, the city signed close to $40 million in no-bid contracts, extensions, and change orders to stop flooding. [11]

2018 gubernatorial candidacy

Levine ran for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Florida in the 2018 election but lost in a crowded primary field. [12] His gubernatorial platform included environmentalism, living wages, better public schools, gun safety policies and social equality; [8] he was endorsed by the Miami Herald . [13] He finished third behind eventual nominee, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, and former U.S. Representative Gwen Graham. In the four-person primary held on August 28, Gillum won with 34.3% of the vote. Levine came in third with 20.3% of the vote. [14] Levine spent $29 million of his own money in the race. The money spent was reportedly about one-fifth of his total net worth. [15]

Philanthropy

Levine serves on the board of directors for Best Buddies International, the Miami-based nonprofit organization that creates opportunities for people with developmental disabilities.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miami Beach, Florida</span> City in Florida, United States

Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter of which separates the Beach from the mainland city of Miami. The neighborhood of South Beach, comprising the southernmost 2.5 sq mi (6.5 km2) of Miami Beach, along with Downtown Miami and the PortMiami, collectively form the commercial center of South Florida. Miami Beach's population is 82,890 according to the 2020 census. It has been one of America's preeminent beach resorts since the early 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John W. Martin</span> American politician

John Wellborn Martin was an American politician who served as the 24th Governor of Florida, from 1925 to 1929. He also served as Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida, from 1917 to 1923. Born in Plainfield in Marion County, Florida, Martin and his family moved to Jacksonville in 1899. Despite only about four years of formal education, he studied law and was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1914. Three years later, Martin ran for Mayor of Jacksonville and easily defeated incumbent J. E. T. Bowden, becoming the city's youngest mayor at age 32. He was easily re-elected twice in landslide victories and served three consecutive terms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Carollo</span> Cuban-American politician

Joe Carollo is a Cuban-American politician who served as mayor of Miami from 1996 to 1997 and again from 1998 to 2001. Following his loss in the 2001 mayoral election, he served as Doral, Florida city manager from January 2013 until his firing in April 2014; he was reinstated in June 2017, then immediately resigned. He successfully ran for election to the Miami city commission in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Gillum</span> American politician (born 1979)

Andrew Demetric Gillum is an American former politician who served as the 126th mayor of Tallahassee, Florida, from 2014 to 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a Tallahassee city commissioner from 2003 until 2014, first elected at the age of 23.

The effects of climate change in Florida are attributable to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide. Floridians are experiencing increased flooding due to sea level rise, and are concerned about the possibility of more frequent or more intense hurricanes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annette Taddeo</span> American politician

Annette Joanne Taddeo-Goldstein is a Colombian-American politician and businesswoman who served as a member of the Florida Senate from the 40th district from 2017 to 2022. She was an unsuccessful candidate for several elections starting in 2008 and was Charlie Crist's running mate in the 2014 Florida gubernatorial election. She was formerly a Democratic candidate in the 2022 Florida gubernatorial election, but withdrew to run for Congress in Florida's 27th congressional district to challenge incumbent María Elvira Salazar. She was once again defeated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Góngora</span> American politician

Michael Christian Góngora is an American politician and lawyer from Miami Beach, Florida who is currently serving his third term as Commissioner of the City of Miami Beach City Commission. Gongora was first elected in 2006 and most recently in 2017. Besides his legal practice, Gongora currently serves as a legal and political analyst and is regularly featured on many Spanish networks including Telemundo, America Teve and Mira TV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron DeSantis</span> Governor of Florida since 2019

Ronald Dion DeSantis is an American politician serving since 2019 as the 46th governor of Florida. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Florida's 6th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018. DeSantis is a candidate in the 2024 United States presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miami Freedom Park</span> Planned soccer stadium in Miami, Florida

Miami Freedom Park is a 25,000-seat soccer-specific stadium currently under construction in Miami, Florida, United States. It is planned to be the home of Major League Soccer team Inter Miami CF. In spring 2022, final approval was given by the city of Miami to build a stadium on the current site of the Melreese golf course, close to Miami International Airport. The decision followed a long process in which numerous locations were considered for the stadium. The current plans would see the stadium opened for the 2025 MLS season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Florida gubernatorial election</span>

The 2018 Florida gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of Florida, alongside an election to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and other state and local elections. Incumbent two-term Republican governor Rick Scott was term-limited and could not run for a third term, and he successfully ran for Florida's Class I Senate seat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 United States Senate election in Florida</span>

The 2018 United States Senate election in Florida was held on November 6, 2018, alongside a gubernatorial election, elections to the U.S. House of Representatives and other state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson ran for re-election to a fourth term, but was narrowly defeated by Republican Governor Rick Scott. The election was the closest Senate race in the state's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida</span>

The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, to elect the 27 U.S. representatives from the state of Florida, one from each of the state's 27 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other offices, including a gubernatorial election, other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. The party primaries were held on August 28, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis Suarez</span> American lawyer and politician (born 1977)

Francis Xavier Suarez is an American lawyer and politician who is the 43rd and current mayor of Miami since November 2017. The son of former Miami mayor Xavier Suarez, he previously served on the Miami City Commission from 2009 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of Miami Beach, Florida</span>

The mayor of Miami Beach is the nonpartisan chief executive of the municipal government of Miami Beach, Florida, and the presiding member of its seven-member City Commission. Modern-day mayors are elected to two-year terms and are term-limited to no more than 3 terms, which can be consecutive or non-consecutive. The mayor and other members of the City Commission appoint a city manager to administer the day-to-day affairs and operations of City Hall and its various departments. City Hall is located at 1700 Convention Center Drive; the mayor's office is located on the fourth floor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Grieco</span> American politician from Florida

Michael Christopher Grieco is an American attorney and politician. A Democrat, Grieco served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2018 to 2022, representing the 113th district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Florida gubernatorial election</span>

The 2022 Florida gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor of Florida, alongside other state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Party governor Ron DeSantis won re-election in a landslide and defeated the Democratic Party nominee, former U.S. representative Charlie Crist, who previously served as governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011 as a Republican. He was seeking to become the first Democrat elected governor of Florida since 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Miami-Dade County mayoral election</span> Mayoral election

The 2020 Miami-Dade County mayoral election was held on November 3, 2020, to determine the mayor of Miami-Dade County, Florida. County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava defeated fellow commissioner Esteban Bovo. Incumbent Mayor Carlos A. Giménez, first elected in 2011, was term-limited; instead running for the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Florida's 26th congressional district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniella Levine Cava</span> American lawyer and politician

Daniella Levine Cava is an American lawyer, social worker, and politician who has served as the mayor of Miami-Dade County, Florida since 2020. Previously, she was a Miami-Dade County Commissioner from 2014 until her election as mayor. She is the first woman and the first person of Jewish descent to serve as mayor of Miami-Dade County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Miami mayoral election</span> Mayoral election

The 2021 Miami mayoral election was held on November 2, 2021, to elect the mayor of Miami, Florida. The election was officially nonpartisan. If no candidate received a majority of the vote in the first ballot, the top two candidates would have advanced to a runoff election on November 16, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Russell (politician)</span> American politician

Ken Joseph Russell is an American politician and yo-yo champion from the state of Florida. A member of the Democratic Party, he served on the Miami City Commission from 2015 to 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Flechas, Joey; Harris, Alex; Lime, Debora; Koh, Elizabeth (3 November 2015). "Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine easily defeats opponent; Arriola and Alemán also win". Miami Herald.
  2. ↑ "Can a Jew from liberal Miami Beach be Florida's next governor? Philip Levine is betting yes". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2017-11-20. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
  3. 1 2 "Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine is Florida's newest candidate for governor - South Florida Sun Sentinel - South Florida Sun-Sentinel".
  4. ↑ Smiley, David. "Philip Levine gets married in private ceremony". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
  5. ↑ "Miami Beach's new mayor faces transition from private CEO to public servant". miamiherald. Retrieved 2017-03-13.
  6. ↑ "2018 watch: Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine to host radio show on SiriusXM - Florida Politics". Florida Politics. 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2017-03-13.
  7. ↑ "Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine enters Florida governor's race | Miami Herald". Miami Herald . Archived from the original on 2017-11-01.
  8. 1 2 "Philip Levine for Governor".
  9. ↑ "DiCaprio climate change film 'Before the Flood' debuts as Hurricane Matthew looms". miamiherald. Retrieved 2017-03-13.
  10. ↑ Stein, Kate. "What Does Miami Share With Jack Black? A Climate Change TV Show" . Retrieved 2017-03-13.
  11. ↑ Smiley, David; Flechas, Joey (2018-06-15). "Former Beach Mayor Levine: Four years of accomplishments, conflicts and self-promotion". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  12. ↑ "Miami Beach Mayor Enters Florida Governor's Race". US News & World Report. 1 November 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  13. ↑ "Here is the Miami Herald’s recommendation for Governor in the Aug. 28 Democratic primary"
  14. ↑ "Florida primary election results 2018: Governor, Senate and House races". Washington Post. 2018-08-29. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  15. ↑ Flechas, Joey (2018-08-28). "Former Miami Beach mayor Philip Levine loses Democratic primary for governor". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Miami Beach
2013–2017		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.