Geller – Joe, Not Steve – “Leans” Towards Run
BY BUDDY NEVINS
A man named Geller could be headed to Tallahassee from Southeast Broward.
No, not Steve Geller.
This time it’s Joe Geller.
Joe Geller
Joe’s brother Steve represented much of Southeast Broward in Tallahassee for two decades. The Hallandale Beach Democrat was in the House 1988 to 1998 and the Senate from 1998 to 2008.
Now Joe wants his chance.
Joe told Browardbeat.com that he is “leaning very strongly” towards running for Florida House District 100 next year.
The seat is now occupied by state Rep. Joe Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach, who is termed limited out. Gibbons is running for county commission.
Joe has a lot going for him, including a strong resume, a deep Rolodex, an ability to raise money and reams of political knowhow.
Mayor of North Bay Village in Miami-Dade from 2004-2008, Joe was also the chair of the Miami Democratic Party from 1989-2000.
Currently he is general counsel with three Miami-Dade communities – El Portal, Miami Lakes and Opa-Locka
Any knowledge and contacts he gained from these jobs should help if Joe decides to run. That’s because roughly 60 percent of the House district runs along the beach in Miami-Dade, while the rest encompasses everything east of Federal Highway in South Broward.
His leadership of the Democratic Party should help in a primary, along with his work as a lawyer for the Al Gore and Barack Obama campaigns.
He is currently with the statewide firm of Greenspoon Marder, which absorbed the once-mighty Ruden McClosky. That should help him with money from the firm’s numerous well-heeled clients and lawyers.
And don’t count out the help his brother Steve can provide in Southeast Broward.
Joe said he has already talked to his wife and daughter about running.
“My wife is fine with it,” he said. “To the extent that a six-year-old girl has an opinion about such things, she is okay with it, too.”
Why would a 58-year-old successful lawyer with a younger wife and child want to go to leave home for Tallahassee? Why would become a freshman Democrat in a Republican-dominated House?
“I believe I can be successful because I am a consensus builder,” Joe said.
Joe will make a final decision in early April whether to run.
My bet? He runs.
February 27th, 2013 at 5:11 pm
Hasnt this guy lost at least one maybe two major elections in Dade where he lives? Once in 08 for what was almost the same District?
http://www.joegeller.org/
I did hear he and Steve did win the family doubles Shoneys breakfast buffet eat off in 2011.
FROM BUDDY:
He lost a district in 2000. In 2010, he lost essentially the same district in eastern Miami-Dade which included portions of North Miami and Miami Beach.
The new district includes a substantial portion of Broward, roughly everything east of Federal Highway and south of Port Everglades. It doesn’t include Miami Beach or North Miami.
The 2010 race was a slugfest featuring very nasty ads at the end. With almost a quarter of a million dollars, Joe Geller outraised his opponent Richard Steinberg approximately five-to-one, according to The Miami Herald. Outside committees also played a substantial part.
Steinberg, who won easily, had two big advantages that offset Geller’s money:
(1) He had a much bigger base. He was on the Miami Beach Commission for a decade, while Geller was from tiny North Bay Village.
(2) He also was part of a political dynasty. Richard’s father, Paul Steinberg, D-Miami Beach, was in the Florida House 1972-78 and in the Florida Senate 1978-1982.
Steinberg won easily.
Proving as you said, a Geller win is far from a slam dunk.
February 27th, 2013 at 7:17 pm
I campaigned for brother Joe in 2010 — he was bludgeoned by Steinberg. I never once saw Steve amongst the troops (maybe I didn’t recognize him, but he certainly didn’t introduce himself to me), and regrettably I did not feel a “man of the people” vibe from his campaign, or from his brother or family members. It’s also my understanding that Joe doesn’t live in District 100, and where he does live (North Bay Village) is a city in shambles, certainly not a positive reflection on his participation (or lack thereof) in his own community.
February 27th, 2013 at 7:32 pm
Steinberg is not still in the House, He resigned in disgrace for being a creep (sending creepy text messages to an ASA)
FROM BUDDY:
Right you are. Thanks for remember. I didn’t.
February 27th, 2013 at 10:41 pm
Who can even remember the last time the Rep for 100 lived in the District, Gibbons while “residing” here, has a nice young wife and little kids in Jacksonville. At least if Geller doesn’t live in the District he is only a weinermobile ride into it from where he lives.
February 28th, 2013 at 6:18 am
Both Geller brothers live off their political influence. You cannot trust a politician not making a living without politics. That is politics 101 level wisdom. Steve was a bag man for insurance companies, gambling and land developers. He was associated with Rothstein and Joel Steinger and all manner of scum because he had to make a living. I am perfectly willing to believe that when it comes to brother Joe the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
March 3rd, 2013 at 3:30 pm
Joe Geller has been a pillar of the Democratic Party for a long time. He spends each election running voter protection for the party. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience that would make him a tremendous state legislator.