Underdog Defeats Nuclear South Miami Mayor

Professor and anti-nuke activist beats longtime pol in stunning upset

Just days after NBCMiami revealed that South Miami Mayor Horace Feliu accepted campaign funding from FPL executives after endorsing a controversial power plant project, Feliu lost his reelection bid in a stunning defeat last night.

Feliu lost out to anti-nuclear activist and FIU professor Philip Stoddard, who entered the election just hours before filing closed.

Stoddard won with just under 59 percent of the vote, to Feliu's 41 percent.

It was a stunning upset for the longtime mayor, whose fate may have been sealed after he endorsed two new nuclear power plants just 20 miles away from South Miami, which would require high-voltage power lines to run right through town.

His endorsement was a big boost for FPL, which was struggling to gain approval for the $12-$18 billion project. Feliu came under fire after it was revealed he received $250 each from five FPL execs.

Feliu stood by his decision earlier this month.

"But that is not why I endorsed the power plants,” Feliu insisted. “I endorsed the power plants because we need to reduce our carbon emissions."

"I was appalled by what I learned," said Stoddard at the time. "It's just disappointing when you're elected officials represent you in ways that are not representative."

Stoddard will be sworn into office at South Miami's Commission Chamber tonight, and said his first order of business is to stop FPL's power lines from going up.

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