State Rep. Vicki Lopez, a Miami Republican who has been one of House Speaker Daniel Perez’s top lieutenants, is leaving the Legislature after a divided Miami-Dade County Commission tapped her to fill an open seat.
In a 7-5 vote Tuesday, the commission appointed Lopez to succeed Eileen Higgins, who vacated the seat to run for Miami mayor.
Elected to the House in 2024, Lopez served as chairwoman of the State Administration Budget Subcommittee, where she led a probe into spending by state agencies under Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Perez, R-Miami, also selected Lopez as a co-chair of the House Select Committee on Property Taxes.
Lopez was was elected to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners in 1990. She resigned in January 1993.
In 1995, Lopez was indicted on 10 counts, including bribery and honest services fraud, for failing to disclose how her votes as a county commissioner could have benefited a secret lover's lobbying clients. She went on to marry, and later divorce, that lobbyist — Sylvester Lukis.
In 1997, Lopez was convicted for honest services fraud and sentenced to 27 months in federal prison.
Lopez served 15 months in federal prison until President Bill Clinton commuted her sentence. Later, the U.S. Supreme Court narrowed the scope of honest services fraud, and in 2011, a court vacated her conviction.
In nominating Lopez to replace Higgins, Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert noted that Lopez’s House District 113 overlaps with the county commission district and that some voters were already familiar with her.
“I don’t know what will happen in August if we appoint her. … I don't know whether she'll win or lose. I feel confident in her leadership. I feel confident in her service,” Gilbert said. Lopez’s appointment will last until a countywide election takes place in August.
In a text message Tuesday, Lopez said she is “grateful to the people and leaders” of the county for their faith in her and noted that, as a legislator, she worked closely with local officials. “This opportunity to serve on the commission permits me the pleasure of focusing on our local communities specifically in our shared desire to keep them truly special,” Lopez said.
Commissioners who opposed Lopez’s appointment said they favored a special election to replace Higgins. Commissioner Rene Garcia, a former state legislator, called Lopez a “great person” but said voters want elections.
“And yet now we’re using the fact that we pick and choose when democracy applies. Democracy is something sacred. The people’s vote should be sacred,” Garcia said. “I think we can do better and the residents of Miami-Dade County and her district deserve to be heard.”
After Tuesday’s commission decision, Perez appointed Rep. Randy Maggard, R-Dade City, to replace Lopez as chairman of the State Administration Budget Subcommittee and Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, as vice-chairman of the Select Committee on Property Taxes. Rep. Toby Overdorf, R-Palm City, will chair the select committee after being a co-chair.
