Esteban Bovo Jr. was elected the new chair for the Miami-Dade County Commission.
Bovo, who represents District 13, which includes Miami Lakes, Hialeah and unincorporated areas, previously served as the vice chair.
“It’s an honor to have been elected the chairman of the Board of County Commissioners,” Bovo said. “Thank you to my colleagues for instilling their confidence in me.”
Reports have suggested Bovo is planning to run for mayor in 2020, when Carlos Gimenez is termed out.
Bovo currently serves as chairman of the Board’s Transportation and Mobility Committee, and is a member of the Unincorporated Municipal Services Committee and the Strategic Planning and Government Operations Committee.
As the past chairman of the Board’s Finance Committee, Bovo has earned a reputation as a fiscal hawk and has championed various legislative proposals designed to make county government more transparent and efficient. According to his colleagues, Bovo enjoys building consensus while tackling complicated policy issues.
Bovo was elected to the county commission in 2011 in a special election and won two-terms in 2012 and 2016.
Previously, Bovo served in the state’s House of Representatives and on the Hialeah City Commission.