Ken Russell (Florida)
Ken Russell was a member of the Miami Board of Commissioners in Florida, representing District 2. He assumed office in 2015. He left office on December 29, 2022.
Russell ran for election for Mayor of Miami in Florida. He lost in the general election on November 4, 2025.
Russell was a 2018 Democratic candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 27th Congressional District of Florida.[1] Russell withdrew from the race in April 2018.[2]
Biography
Russell earned his B.S. in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[3]
Elections
2025
See also: Mayoral election in Miami, Florida (2025)
General runoff election
General runoff election for Mayor of Miami
Emilio Gonzalez and Eileen Higgins are running in the general runoff election for Mayor of Miami on December 9, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Emilio Gonzalez (Nonpartisan) | |
 | Eileen Higgins (Nonpartisan) | |
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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General election
General election for Mayor of Miami
The following candidates ran in the general election for Mayor of Miami on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Eileen Higgins (Nonpartisan) | 36.0 | 13,325 |
| ✔ | | Emilio Gonzalez (Nonpartisan) | 19.5 | 7,214 |
 | Ken Russell (Nonpartisan) | 17.6 | 6,514 | |
 | Joe Carollo (Nonpartisan) | 11.5 | 4,253 | |
 | Alex Díaz de la Portilla (Nonpartisan) | 5.1 | 1,905 | |
 | Xavier Suarez (Nonpartisan) | 4.9 | 1,830 | |
 | Michael Hepburn (Nonpartisan) | 1.9 | 687 | |
 | Laura Anderson (Nonpartisan) | 1.1 | 411 | |
| Christian Cevallos (Nonpartisan) | 0.8 | 287 | ||
| Kenneth DeSantis (Nonpartisan) | 0.6 | 219 | ||
| Elijah Bowdre (Nonpartisan) | 0.5 | 180 | ||
 | Alyssa Crocker (Nonpartisan) | 0.4 | 147 | |
| June Savage (Nonpartisan) | 0.2 | 84 | ||
| Total votes: 37,056 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Ijamyn Gray (Nonpartisan)
- Max Martinez (Nonpartisan)
Endorsements
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2022
U.S. House Florida District 27
See also: Florida's 27th Congressional District election, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. House Florida District 27
Incumbent Maria Elvira Salazar defeated Annette Taddeo in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 27 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Maria Elvira Salazar (R) | 57.3 | 136,038 |
 | Annette Taddeo (D) | 42.7 | 101,404 | |
| Total votes: 237,442 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 27
Annette Taddeo defeated Ken Russell and Angel Montalvo in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 27 on August 23, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Annette Taddeo | 67.8 | 27,015 |
| Ken Russell | 25.9 | 10,337 | |
 | Angel Montalvo | 6.3 | 2,493 | |
| Total votes: 39,845 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Eileen Higgins (D)
- Janelle Perez (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 27
Incumbent Maria Elvira Salazar defeated Frank Polo Sr. in the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 27 on August 23, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Maria Elvira Salazar | 80.8 | 33,760 |
 | Frank Polo Sr. | 19.2 | 8,023 | |
| Total votes: 41,783 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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U.S. Senate Florida
See also: United States Senate election in Florida, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. Senate Florida
The following candidates ran in the general election for U.S. Senate Florida on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Marco Rubio (R) | 57.7 | 4,474,847 |
 | Val Demings (D) | 41.3 | 3,201,522 | |
 | Dennis Misigoy (L) | 0.4 | 32,177 | |
 | Steven B. Grant (No Party Affiliation) | 0.4 | 31,816 | |
 | Tuan Nguyen (No Party Affiliation) | 0.2 | 17,385 | |
 | Edward A. Gray (No Party Affiliation) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 190 | |
 | Uloma Ekpete Kama (No Party Affiliation) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 42 | |
 | Moses Quiles (No Party Affiliation) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 33 | |
 | Howard Knepper (No Party Affiliation) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 2 | |
| Total votes: 7,758,014 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jason Holic (No Party Affiliation)
- Carlos Barberena (No Party Affiliation)
- Shantele Bennett (No Party Affiliation)
- Ahmad Saide (No Party Affiliation)
- Timothy Devine (No Party Affiliation)
- Grace Granda (No Party Affiliation)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Florida
Val Demings defeated Brian Rush, William Sanchez, and Ricardo De La Fuente in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Florida on August 23, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Val Demings | 84.3 | 1,263,706 |
 | Brian Rush | 6.3 | 94,185 | |
 | William Sanchez | 5.6 | 84,576 | |
 | Ricardo De La Fuente | 3.8 | 56,749 | |
| Total votes: 1,499,216 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Allen Ellison (D)
- Edward Abud (D)
- Joshua Weil (D)
- Alan Grayson (D)
- Allek Pastrana (D)
- Ken Russell (D)
- Coleman Watson (D)
- Albert Fox (D)
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Marco Rubio advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Florida.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Calvin Driggers (R)
- Angela Marie Walls-Windhauser (R)
- Jake Loubriel (R)
- Luis Miguel (R)
- Josue Larose (R)
- Ervan Katari Miller (R)
- Earl Yearicks IV (R)
- Kevin DePuy (R)
Libertarian primary election
The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Dennis Misigoy advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate Florida.
2019
See also: City elections in Miami, Florida (2019)
General election
General election for Miami Board of Commissioners District 2
Incumbent Ken Russell defeated Jim Fried, Rosa Palomino, and Javier Gonzalez in the general election for Miami Board of Commissioners District 2 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ken Russell (Nonpartisan) | 59.6 | 3,777 |
| Jim Fried (Nonpartisan) | 15.3 | 971 | ||
 | Rosa Palomino (Nonpartisan) | 13.6 | 862 | |
 | Javier Gonzalez (Nonpartisan) | 11.5 | 726 | |
| Total votes: 6,336 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2018
General election
General election for U.S. House Florida District 27
Donna Shalala defeated Maria Elvira Salazar and Mayra Joli in the general election for U.S. House Florida District 27 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Donna Shalala (D) | 51.8 | 130,743 |
| Maria Elvira Salazar (R) | 45.8 | 115,588 | |
 | Mayra Joli (No Party Affiliation) | 2.5 | 6,255 | |
| Total votes: 252,586 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Cassandra Anna Hefton (No Party Affiliation)
- Ian Hamilton Trottier (No Party Affiliation)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 27
Donna Shalala defeated David Richardson, Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, Matt Haggman, and Michael Hepburn in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Florida District 27 on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Donna Shalala | 31.9 | 14,158 |
 | David Richardson | 27.5 | 12,192 | |
 | Kristen Rosen Gonzalez | 17.5 | 7,783 | |
 | Matt Haggman | 16.9 | 7,511 | |
| Michael Hepburn | 6.1 | 2,723 | |
| Total votes: 44,367 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Mary Barzee Flores (D)
- Jose Javier Rodriguez (D)
- Ken Russell (D)
- Marvin Dunn (D)
- Mark Anthony Person (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 27
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Florida District 27 on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Maria Elvira Salazar | 40.5 | 15,817 |
 | Bruno Barreiro | 25.7 | 10,029 | |
 | Maria Peiro | 8.0 | 3,121 | |
 | Stephen Marks | 7.0 | 2,733 | |
| Angie Chirino | 6.9 | 2,678 | ||
 | Bettina Rodriguez-Aguilera | 4.3 | 1,684 | |
 | Michael Ohevzion | 3.8 | 1,467 | |
| Elizabeth Adadi | 2.0 | 775 | ||
 | Gina Sosa-Suarez | 1.9 | 760 | |
| Total votes: 39,064 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Gabe Ferrer (R)
2015
- See also: Miami, Florida municipal elections, 2015
The city of Miami, Florida, held elections for the city council on November 3, 2015. A runoff took place on November 17, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was September 19, 2015. In the race for District 2, Ken Russell and Teresa Sarnoff advanced past Graciela Solares, Mike R. Simpson, Rosa Palomino, Seth Sklarey, Lorry Woods, Williams Armbrister Sr., Javier Gonzalez in the general election. Russell and Sarnoff advanced to the runoff election. Sarnoff conceded the race to Russell on November 5, but did not officially withdraw from the race. "I did not engage in negative campaigning and do not condone negative campaigning," she said.[4] On November 10, she officially withdrew. Hours later, the city attorney stated that the runoff could not be cancelled but votes for Sarnoff would not be counted.[5][6][7]
| Miami City Council District 2, General election, 2015 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Ken Russell |
41.3% | 2,727 |
| Teresa Sarnoff |
23.5% | 1,553 |
| Graciela Solares | 22.2% | 1,467 |
| Javier Gonzalez | 4.2% | 278 |
| Lorry Woods | 3.4% | 224 |
| Rosa Palomino | 3.1% | 202 |
| Williams Armbrister Sr. | 1.1% | 73 |
| Mike R. Simpson | 0.6% | 39 |
| Seth Sklarey | 0.5% | 35 |
| Write-in votes | 0% | 0 |
| Total Votes | 6,598 | |
| Source: "Miami, Florida", "Miami Dade County Official Election Results," accessed November 16, 2015 | ||
Endorsements
In 2015, Russell's endorsements included the following:[8]
- State Sen. Gwen Margolis
- Dick Pettigrew
- Daryl Jones
- Hank Klein
- Jeffrey Hicks
- Corey Campbell
- Diane Towry
- Shawn Crews
- Dr. Mark Baum
- David Wells
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Ken Russell did not complete Ballotpedia's 2025 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Ken Russell did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign website
Russell's campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Strengthening our Economy and Growing our Middle Class Ken knows Floridians have been hit hard during the pandemic. That’s why his top priority is getting Florida back to work and reigniting the state’s economy. Ken knows the best way to do that is to invest in our infrastructure, revitalize our small businesses, and generate clean energy along with good, green jobs. He will ensure state and local budgets have the funding to pay for public services and employees so Floridians can not just get back to work, but can travel to and from their jobs with ease. Ken will also create provisions for Florida to Buy American and Buy Clean, making sure that Florida is creating a cleaner environment while also reinvesting in our own country’s prosperity. As we continue the new normal of a reopened Florida, we can’t forget to reinvest in those who helped keep our state running through these hard times, our middle class. Ken will ensure our middle class is prioritized by ending the federal giveaways to big businesses, closing tax loopholes exploited by large corporations, closing the racial wealth gap, and protecting the right to work. He will also increase paid sick leave and maternity leave and reform the current tax code to benefit working families over corporations.
Republicans have long believed climate change is a hoax, but Ken knows the effects of climate change are very real, especially in our state of Florida. The devastation caused by climate change will only get worse if not addressed, that’s why Ken’s ready to lead the charge to get Florida on a greener track. As a City Commissioner, Ken banned styrofoam use in city parks and marinas. He also passed a resolution opposing offshore drilling and seismic airgun blasting for the city of Miami and established a Sea Level Rise Committee to monitor and troubleshoot the rise in Florida’s sea levels, one of the most noticeable effects from climate change. In Congress, Ken will expand his work so that we can protect Florida’s water quality and restore our Everglades to their former glory.
Right now, Americans across the country are having a very real and very honest conversation about inequality. Ken understands that people of color, our LGBTQ+ community, and women face unprecedented disadvantages in our country, whether it’s in the workforce or at the ballot box. Ken is not afraid to tackle these issues head-on in Congress. During his time as City Commissioner, he passed an ordinance banning conversion therapy, passed a resolution condemning discriminatory policies against Muslims, and passed a resolution in support of DACA and TPS recipients. Currently, he is a firm supporter of the John Lewis Equal Rights Act and is urging Republicans in Congress to pass this bill to ensure rampant voter suppression is ended and every eligible American can vote.
Ken understands the hardship many Americans face as they work to support themselves and their families. It’s not enough to just have a job, but to have a job that actually funds their housing, their food, their childcare, their education and so much more. That’s why Ken is a firm promoter of raising our minimum wage to $15 by 2026, as he’s already done for all workers contracted through the City of Miami. It’s also vital housing costs are adjusted to be more inline with what everyday Americans are making at their jobs. Ken believes housing should be a right, not a privilege for Floridians. Ken will do all he can to incentivize private construction companies to create affordable housing in Florida, and will also work for stronger homeowner rights and bill of rights for renters. Ken has already put his ideas to work in Miami, where he sponsored an ordinance allowing for the creation of micro-units to combat Miami’s affordable housing crisis. He also incentivized affordable housing in the Historic Village West through the creation of a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and sponsored an inclusionary zoning ordinance that mandates developers seeking entitlements within a certain area north of downtown include a percentage of affordable housing in their projects. Ken knows every person in Florida deserves a roof over their head and an income that can keep them and their families comfortable and prosperous. In Congress, Ken will always maintain his commitment to working families.
Gun violence is a public health crisis in the United States. Over 100,000 people are shot and nearly 40,000 people die annually from guns—devastating countless families, friends, and communities. We can and will make gun violence a thing of the past. Addressing the gun violence crisis requires supporting evidence-based programs that prevent gun deaths from occurring in the first place, including making mental health care more accessible and supporting suicide reduction initiatives, funding interventions to reduce homicides and gun violence in neighborhoods, and strengthening protections against domestic violence. If elected, I will work with Congress to pass the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. This measure would expand background checks requirements for firearm transfers between private parties including when guns are sold at gun show.
Ken Russell has always supported the right to choose and a woman’s control over her own body. The overturning of Roe is devastating, and the protections formerly guaranteed by the landmark case must now be codified into federal law. Now more than ever, we must strive to preserve and expand reproductive health, rights, and justice for women everywhere. It is a private and intimate decision what a woman does with her body, and our federal politicians have not only continually voted to strip Americans of their access to health care, they have also voted tirelessly against ensuring equal pay protections and providing maternity care to our women in the workplace. We have an opportunity to invest in women innovators and increase access to credit and business grants. This includes continuing to ensure equal pay for women, paid family leave for all, and much more.[9] |
” |
| —Ken Russell's campaign website (2022)[10] | ||
Ken Russell did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2019
Ken Russell did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.
2015
Russell's website highlighted the following campaign themes:
| “ | I'm not your typical politician. I'm your neighbor. I'm an entrepreneur. I'm a father. I got involved with Miami politics when I learned that the City had dumped toxic waste in the park in front of my home with no intention of removing it. I gathered 150 neighbors and convinced the City to remove more than 2500 tons of soil laced with lead and arsenic. In doing so, I learned about the function (and dysfunction) of local government. I also learned that less than 6% of the residents in my district vote. I want to get involved and wake up the City. I want to help manage Miami like a proper business that encourages smart growth while expanding green space, improving traffic, and valuing happy employees and police officers. I want the residents to breathe easy, knowing that their government is open and collaborative. I want to do this because I Love Miami.[11][9] | ” |
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Russell has a wife, Juliana, and three children.[3]
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Miami Herald, "Miami commissioner Ken Russell joins race to replace Ros-Lehtinen," October 14, 2017
- ↑ Miami Herald, "Miami Commissioner Ken Russell dropping out of congressional race," April 11, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 kenrussellmiami.com, "About Me," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ NBC Miami, "Teresa Sarnoff Concedes Miami Commission Election," November 5, 2015
- ↑ Miami Herald, "City attorney: Votes for Sarnoff won’t count in Miami election," November 10, 2015
- ↑ City of Miami, "2015 Official candidate list," accessed September 21, 2015
- ↑ City of Miami, "Fall Municipal Runoff Unofficial Results," November 17, 2015
- ↑ kenrussellmiami.com, "Endorsements," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Ken Russell for Congress, “Issues,” accessed August 18, 2022
- ↑ kenrussellmiami.com, "Official campaign website," accessed September 22, 2015
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Miami Board of Commissioners District 2 2015-2022 |
Succeeded by Sabina Covo |
| |||||||||
