Meet the Miami-Dade DEC Chair: Laura Kelley

Build! Fight! Win!

By Laura Kelley, Esq., Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chair

“Let’s unite to focus on our primary objective: winning blue votes, flipping red seats, and electing those who will truly serve the families and communities of Miami-Dade County.”

I am a lifelong Democrat who has lived and voted in Doral for more than a decade. Still, it was not until I ran for office last year that I learned that the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee (DEC) serves as the official body representing the Democratic Party in Miami-Dade County. That means that its officers and members commit themselves to registering, turning out, and protecting the rights of Democratic voters; recruiting, evaluating, and supporting qualified Democratic candidates; and speaking out on local, state, and federal issues in alignment with Democratic values.

Fast forward to December 14, 2025. Elected to serve as Chair of the DEC based on my familiarity with Miami’s political landscape, comfort communicating in both English and Spanish, and professional background as an immigration attorney and former President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, I found myself at the head of a leadership team dedicated to carrying out our slogan, “Build! Fight! Win!”

Easier said than done. Miami-Dade County had just flipped red, Democrats were demoralized, and the incoming Trump administration was clearly poised to push longstanding norms, the Constitution, and democracy itself to their limits and beyond. Equally clear was the willingness of local Republican incumbents to toe the line, regardless of the consequences to their constituents.

It’s now been eight months since the DEC election, and seven months since Trump’s inauguration. Every day has brought a new outrage and a new reason to push back. Here’s what the DEC has done to rebuild the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, fight to gain new supporters, and lay the groundwork for future wins:

Prioritized the fundamental tasks proven to engage voters and win elections. On January 20, we held our first voter registration drive. These drives are ongoing, countywide, and now total more than 50. In May, we added phone banking sessions, currently scheduled every Tuesday, Thursday, and alternate Saturdays, and we have acquired a predictive dialer to increase our voter contact rate exponentially. Dedicated volunteers have made over 100,000 calls so far. Plans for door-to-door voter registration and deep canvassing are being finalized.
Vastly increased our visibility through frequent radio and TV appearances, print media interviews, an expanded social media presence, and a new current issues-oriented podcast live-streamed every other Monday at 1 p.m. on Miami’s Community News.
Called out local Republican incumbents by holding a “no-show” Congressional Town Hall, and amplifying the Miami-Dade Democratic Hispanic Caucus’s daring “Coward” and “Traitor” billboards. Those images of Diaz-Balart, Salazar, Giménez, and Rubio went viral.
Focused on strengthening relationships with local Democratic clubs and caucuses, elected officials, and allied organizations. In April, DEC Vice Chair Michael Joseph, Mayor of North Miami Beach, co-hosted, along with the Miami-Dade Democratic Black Caucus, a reception for Democratic elected officials in North Dade. Another such reception will be held in a few days. In May, with the support of the Coral Gables Dems, the Key Biscayne Dems, the Kendall Dems, the Miami-Dade Democratic Public Education Caucus, the Miami-Dade Black Caucus, and SEIU, we brought together nearly 200 representatives of diverse faiths for the first-ever DEC Interfaith Breakfast of Hope.

All of us in the Democratic Party leadership are well aware of the challenges that we face, aggravated by the recent disproportionate purging of Democrats from the Miami-Dade voter rolls. I urge you to join me in meeting and overcoming those challenges. The Miami-Dade County Democratic Party is powered by people like you. People who organize, mobilize, and help us win the local battles that shape our shared future. We invite you to support our efforts however you can:

TIME - Volunteer to register voters, make phone calls, knock on doors, and help turn out the vote for critical local elections.

TALENT - Join the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee and contribute by joining one of our working committees. Whether your strengths are in communications, finance, or organizing, there is a place for you to lead and serve.

TREASURE - Contribute to support our ongoing voter registration, protection, and outreach programs.

Let’s unite to focus on our primary objective: winning blue votes, flipping red seats, and electing those who will truly serve the families and communities of Miami-Dade County.

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