It may be a week too early to call him “mayor-elect,” but a remarkable political consensus quickly developed in support of former Council Member Brett Moss as the island’s next mayor. 

The support includes recent positive comments from the current mayor, Joe Rasco, and former mayors Mayra Peña Lindsay and Mike Davey. 

Key Biscayne politics has sometimes been factionalized, but it reached its peak in 2022, when a campaign spending record was set for the mayor’s race. Rasco defeated lobbyist Fausto Gomez in a contest that saw more than $140,000 spent including ads by “dark money” groups who pumped out a series of sometimes salacious attacks to the mailboxes of  about 8,000 voters. 

But Friday, when asked for a reaction to Moss’s run, Gomez simply texted back: “best wishes” to a candidate who had endorsed his rival.

Why the consensus from so many?

During his eight years on the Council, Moss often dove deep into the details — critics would say micromanage — many various village projects such as the site that is now Paradise Park. 

But after first supporting the Big Dig project, Moss became a vocal opponent when projected costs of the elaborate pipe-and-pump system started to balloon. For some, that independence from Village administration has become a unifying factor. Moss is also a political independent: he has no party affiliation. 

Lindsay, who helped campaign for a citizen referendum aimed at placing limits on new stormwater projects in response to the Big Dig, was quick to support Moss. 

“He is thoughtful and diligent,” she said. “I am very glad he is running for mayor.” She was joined by her predecessor, Mike Davey. 

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Rasco, who was championing the Big Dig until recently, had to listen when Moss would repeatedly step up to the public comment podium and challenge the Village’s direction.

But Saturday, Rasco said Moss was an “excellent choice” to succeed him and was already looking ahead to yielding the mayor’s gavel. “I look forward to working closely with Brett to ensure a smooth transition,” he said in a statement. Rasco added that he hoped Moss would address the island’s infrastructure and quality of life priorities

Brett Moss, a former council member, speaks about spending for the Big Dig, Nov. 18. 2025 (KBI Photo/Tony WInton)

Outgoing Council Member Ed London, who often voted against Moss on budget matters, also said his former Council colleague would do well on the job. “A great mayor,” London said. 

London had joined Moss in turning against the Big Dig project and ultimately succeeded in forcing a major change in favor of a less-expensive shallow injection well approach. The Council’s about-face may mean residents won’t be able to tap state and federal grants and low-interest loans arranged for the Big Dig concept, however.

Allison McCormick, who also sat on the Council dais with Moss, added her support.  “I’m very excited for Brett, but mostly I’m excited for the Village of Key Biscayne.” (McCormick is a board member of Miami Fourth Estate, the nonprofit that publishes the Independent.)

Others supporting Moss included Council Member Nancy Stoner, who said Moss “will forge ahead where Joe [Rasco] left off,” adding that Moss is “a critical thinker who loves our community.” 

The broad support amongst sometime-rivals seemed to signal that anyone challenging Moss would face long odds. 

The mayoral filing deadline is Friday. If no one else files before then, Moss will become mayor-elect and take office in November. It is an unpaid position.

Editor-in-Chief

Tony Winton is the editor-in-chief of the Key Biscayne Independent and president of Miami Fourth Estate, Inc. He worked previously at The Associated Press for three decades winning multiple Edward R. Murrow awards. He was president of the News Media Guild, a journalism union, for 10 years. Born in Chicago, he is a graduate of Columbia University. His interests are photography and technology, sailing, cooking, and science fiction.